Balancing the competitiveness of swimming and gymnastics became a challenge for Maggie Adler ‘23 last year, she said. Adler started swimming when she was 10, but didn’t swim all year round until last year. She made the tough decision of giving up gymnastics to excel in her swimming career. 

 “The strength that I have acquired from gymnastics has definitely impacted my swimming career and truly shows when I swim,” Adler said. “I ended up quitting because last season I was close to some champion cuts I wanted to make, so it was either swim full time and into college, or do high school gymnastics.”

Varsity head coach Scott Walker feels that last year is when she woke up and became a better swimmer and leader, he said. He believes she offers everything she has in practice and meets. No matter how tired she is, Adler will always strive to perform 100% at the highest level.

“She’s very bubbly and enthusiastic all the time no matter how hard our sets and practices are,” Walker said. “At the same time, she pushes herself and her teammates to the highest limit.”

In August of this year, Adler decided to continue her swimming career at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Adler was being recruited by three other schools, but she felt this was the right fight, she said. With the competitiveness of UIUC, as it is a Division I school and in the Big 10 Conference, Adler knows that she will have to continue to train and push herself hard.

“What stood out to me the most about [UIUC] was the atmosphere of not only the coaching staff, but the team,” Adler said. “The coaches are new and so passionate, and with the amazing hard work I have seen these girls put in, I am so excited to be a part of a team that is only going up.”

The best part of high school swim is how everybody is so supportive of each other, Adler said. From being a freshman on varsity, she has been able to guide and support the newer swimmers into the competitive season. With this, she has also helped them to become better swimmers, as well as teammates.

“Some of my biggest supporters are definitely my teammates,” she said. “The seniors, especially Becky Phillips, Mia DiBraccio, and Ava Wright, are the ones that push me the most in practice and while I’m racing.”

DiBraccio swam with Adler last year on the Hinsdale Swim Club team. They started swimming together freshman year, moving from Lyons Aquatics to Hinsdale Swim Club together. She’s eager to watch Adler train with a new team and to see what she can accomplish at UIUC, she said. 

“Maggie is probably one of the hardest working people I know,” DiBraccio said. “Her positive attitude is a big influence on the team and her work ethic motivates all of us to always do better. This year, at almost every race, we raced the 200 free together and although it was quite intimidating to be racing against her, I always enjoyed doing it.”

Walker is excited to see what Maggie can do at the State Tournament and moving forward into college as well, he said. He’s very grateful to have had the ability to be around her for four years and watch her grow. 

“I’m honored to be able to coach her, she has been such a joy and somebody you don’t want to see leave,” he said. “As a coach, you have to let the bird leave the nest and let her spread her wings and fly.”

At conference on Oct. 21, the 400 meter freestyle relay consisting of Adler, Audrey Cavaliere ‘25, Phillips, and Ella Kelly ‘25, broke the Hinsdale Central pool record for that race.

The team will compete in the IHSA State Tournament on Nov. 11 at the For My Community Natatorium in Westmont.