EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville High School graduate Christina Vance always had a goal in the back of her mind that she wanted to earn a college scholarship in swimming.
Vance, a distance swimmer, has served as an inspiration for other swimmers by earning an athletic scholarship to Lincoln College in Lincoln, Ill. She has displayed to the others that sprinters and specialty stroke swimmers are not the only ones who earn college scholarships.
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She has trained intensely through the summer and is beginning classes and workouts at Lincoln.
“I didn’t think I could get a scholarship in swimming, but it was something I wanted,” she said. “With this opportunity, I decided swimming is what I love doing and I am going to get to continue it for two years.”
Vance normally participated in races ranging from the 200, to 500, 1,000 and the 1,500 freestyle.
“It takes a big commitment of time,” she said of college swimming.
The EHS graduate said she wants to pursue a degree in sports medicine. She thanked her swim coaches at EHS, the Edwardsville YMCA team coaches, Edwardsville Principal Dennis Cramsey and the Chuck Fruit Foundation donation of the new swimming pool for helping her achieve success.
EHS swim coach Christian Rhoten said he is proud of Vance for earning her scholarship. He said college coaches constantly look for distance type of swimmers because they are difficult to find.
He said he feels Vance is prepared, like many of the other EHS swimmers, because of their training and dedication to make the best decisions in life.
“I think being on a college swim team helps keep you on track with your studies and life while in school,” he said.
