High 5: Washington’s Aubrey Woolard continues success, stays focused on swimming

Published 11:57 pm Sunday, February 2, 2025

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Aubrey Woolard jumps into the pool and begins practice Monday evening with the rest of her Washington High School swim teammates.

The 16-year-old junior has been busy all week with everyone else gearing up for the Class 2-A East Regional swim competition. It’s her goal to continue the success she had as a sophomore with hopes her team does the same.

Well, her leadership, not just being the best swimmer, but being the best leader,” Washington coach Lane Raper said about what makes her special. “She pushes the girls in practice and gets the best out of them.”

Raper said Woolard is definitely a year-round swimmer. She hasn’t decided whether it’s her path forward regarding total commitment and college. So for now, a chance at a state title and other accomplishments are what’s important.

“Yeah, her all-season workouts she goes to, she’s definitely a year-round swimmer,” Raper said. “So we’re blessed to have her here and to help with the newer swimmers we have coming in, to kind of show what you’ve got to put forth to get to that next level.”

Woolard talked before Friday’s regional event about her love for swimming and where it could take her.

1. So you had so much success last year as far as individual and team performances. Tell me how that has pushed you to bigger and better things this year.

“It like, it motivates me to do better, get better times, and I guess increase the place. As far as individual and team, we also want our (200-meter individual medley) relay to get better as well.

2. What have you used that for as far as your motivation, and how have you used that to kind of teach the younger kids how to produce in the sport?

Well, I’ve been swimming since I was six, so I kind of have a larger background compared to the other people. A lot of people on the swim team have just started this year, even if they’re an upperclassman. And then a lot of varsity, some of them have swam before, but a lot of them don’t know the basic skills.

So I kind of feel like since I’ve been swimming longer and have been successful, then I can help them with their stroke and their times to get faster.”

3. Do you feel like you’re an assistant coach in a sense? Because you’re working with so many other teammates.

In a sense, yeah, I like to help out with the sets and what we need to do. This week, we’re kind of gonna do easier stuff because this weekend, it’s like a big meet. So we work on our big meet and skills and getting faster as we go.

4. So what has the season been like for you? You have been doing meets here, but you’ve been traveling to other places and doing stuff, too. It’s kind of been a similar format to last season, I guess, except for the snow.

“I think we’ve done a pretty good job as a team. I think, individually, I could have done some better things. But I’m also doing a year-round team in Greenville (East Carolina Aquatics). So I’m traveling back and forth to that, too. So I’m gonna try to be here as much as I can and also in Greenville.

5. Do you have college aspirations because of that?

“I have not decided about college yet. It’ll probably be at the end of this year, beginning of next year.”