From the time she first got in the pool, Olivia Czelusniak has had the time of her life in the water. Her parents, Steve and Elizabeth, still have pictures of Czelusniak, who started swimming at the age of 4, enjoying herself in the water at an early age. And the good times have continued, right through her junior season at Ewing High School.
A multiple school-record holder, Czelusniak was the Blue Devils’ top swimmer this season, and she enjoyed several strong performances at the Mercer County Championships Jan. 30. Czelusniak led Ewing by finishing fourth in the 100 meter freestyle and seventh in the 50 meter freestyle. Her finishes in both events surpassed her results from a year ago, which was Czelusniak’s primary goal when she headed to the championships at West Windsor-Plainsboro North.
“I was thrilled with that,” Czelusniak said. “There are tons of really talented girls in Mercer County. It was a blast to be able to swim next to them and do as well as I did. I didn’t know until the day of the meet where I would be time-wise against everyone else. I came into the meet, the day of the prelims, and noticed I was seeded pretty well, so that’s when I started thinking that I might have a shot to do well. I still have another shot [next season], so I’m really excited. I’m looking to see if I can do even better next year.”
Czelusniak first started swimming in her grandparents’ pool and then took lessons through a local SwimAmerica program. She joined her first swim club team, at Ravine, at the age of 8 and, in addition to now swimming at Ewing High, is now part of the Eastern Express swimming program.
“I think I just liked being in the water,” Czelusniak said. “It’s always been really relaxing for me, a place where I can stop thinking about my responsibilities or anything that’s pressing down on me and just enjoy being in the water. I don’t remember too much from when I was very young. I just remember it was always just a fun place for me to be. My mom still has pictures of me having a blast. Of course then I didn’t know that I’d be swimming [competitively] like I do now. It was just a fun thing for me to do back then.”
Czelusniak still brings a youthful exuberance to the pool. She enjoys what she does, which is important when you swim nearly year-round and have to get up some days at 4:30 a.m. for practice. But such dedication is important to improvement and success.
Though she said it can be difficult at times, Czelusniak still loves the challenge.
“I’m really thankful to my parents because they get me up and get me to my practices and meets,” she said. “I always want to keep improving, and practice is the way to do that. The swimmers who are willing to put in the hard work usually reap the most reward. I would like to do the same as the really successful swimmers.”
While swimming at Ewing, where she is coached by Stefanie Harrison and Andrew Harris, Czelusniak is focused on improving her own swimming as well as the swimming of those on her team, which finished 1-10 this year. She holds school records in the 50, 100, and 200 freestyles, the 100 backstroke, and is a member of record-setting relay teams in the 200 and 400 freestyle.
“We might not win all the time, or be one of the top teams, but we have a lot of fun and everyone’s focus is on personal improvement,” Czelusniak said. “I have a ton of respect for my teammates who get up every morning early and practice. I’m really honored to be coached by Coach Harrison and Coach Harris because they take a lot of time out of their days to help coach us. I think everyone has a really good attitude.”
Czelusniak’s dedication to the program and her teammates has impressed Harrison, who has coached swimming at Ewing High for a decade.
“Obviously in the pool she’s a huge force, but she’s also been a great leader,” Harrison said. “There are times when she will come in to practice even though she’s already swam with her club team and work with some of the kids on the team who are newer to the sport. She will help them learn how to dive, work through the turns and work on their technique with them, which has been really helpful to us.”
Czulusniak is humble, Harrison added.
“She’s a good teammate and she cheers for everybody,” she said. “She is really caring about how everyone does. A lot of times she doesn’t get to swim her best or [in] her favorite events, but she swims where we need her. She’s been really flexible in terms of that.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, Czelusniak would like to coach in the future. She already works with younger swimmers as part of the SwimAmerica program and has assisted at clinics.
“I really enjoy working with younger kids and helping them learn to develop their strokes,” Czelusniak said. “I’d also like the opportunity, if I can, to work with teenage swimmers when I get older—to help them manage swimming along with the responsibilities that come with school.”
It’s something she had to learn to deal with herself, so she knows how difficult swimming in high school can be, especially when it comes to dividing time between club and high school teams.
“Swimming demands so much time, learning to balance everything and manage your time is something really important,” she said. “Because I’m going through it right now, if I ever had the opportunity to coach teenagers I think it would be really important to pass on any lessons I learn.”
And she always hopes to continue her enjoyment in the pool.
“It’s a lifelong sport, so I hope I’m going to still be able to do it when I get into my 70s and 80s,” Czelusniak said. “I’d always like swimming to be a part of my life.”
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