If you get into a friendly argument with Hailey Thayer about something that doesn’t mean all that much, be prepared to be in it for the long haul. She won’t give in.
“My competitive desire is very strong,” the Steinert High School senior said in an e-mail. “I sometimes find myself turning the most petty things into a competition.”
It’s what you might expect from someone whose nickname is “Thayer the Player,” a moniker she picked up from Hamilton Hurricanes softball coach John Giordano.
And wherever Thayer’s tenacious quality came from, the Spartans’ girls swim team is better off for it. Thayer takes her intensity into the pool and gives Steinert a strong presence in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley along with two relays per meet. But coach Caroline Fling said Thayer’s versatility could place her anywhere in the lineup.
She is also a swimmer with a lot of heart. That was apparent in December, when she sprained her ankle in the morning and then went out that afternoon to help Steinert pull off a victory against West Windsor-Plainsboro South, the Spartans biggest win of the year over . Thayer said afterward there was no way she would miss the meet against such a formidable foe.
She has been positive about being in the water from the start. Thayer learned all of the strokes in the Lawrence recreation program as kid, and her enthusiasm was clear.
“I was not scared at all,” she said of her first experience in a pool. “I really enjoyed swimming because it felt natural to me.”
After two summers, Thayer moved on to the Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association’s Hamilton Aquatics affiliate. By 13, she left rec swimming to begin year-round competitive swimming with the HAC club team to give her a better shot at earning a place on Steinert’s squad.
She has been with the Spartans since her freshman year and has continually improved as she moved up the ranks. Thayer has always been a contributor but got overlooked by some high caliber swimmers during her first few years with Steinert.
This season she, classmate Tess Dalton, junior Maddie Horner and sophomore Chelsea Ackerson form the Spartans’ core, while Samantha Woolf has been a valuable freshman.
Like most club swimmers, Thayer does not get to spend a lot of time at the Spartan practices since club takes precedent. But that has not prevented her from wanting to weave herself into the Spartan fabric as much as possible. Fling said Thayer has been more involved with the team this season.
“I saw Hailey display excellent leadership skills from the get-go this year,” she said. “She made it very clear she wanted to be a captain for her team, and did that by showing me, not telling me. She provides a great presence for the girls to follow.”
Thayer’s attitude is refreshing, as some club swimmers just show up for meets, get their wins and be on their way. That’s not a criticism; it is just to point out the massive amount of time it takes to do both while also being a student. It only stands to reason some aspect needs to be sacrificed.
It is a credit to Thayer, therefore, as to how much she wants to put in the time to be part of her high school team. And it has not hurt her academics, as she takes several Advanced Placement courses and is a member of the National Honor Society.
Being a captain and a role model is important to her, she said, so Thayer stays in touch with her fellow captains.
“While I am on deck, I try to be a positive influence to the other swimmers so they see that it is possible to work hard and have fun at the same time,” she said. “Also, I always try and keep a positive attitude even if we are losing to show that sometimes swimming, or athletics in general, is not all about winning, but growing as a person as well.”
That being said, Thayer wins a lot. She has been four-time winner several times this season and always picks up at least two first places in a meet.
The fact that she can swim strokes is a huge help, as coaches sometimes have to convert freestylers into strokers. For Thayer, they have been a way of life and she hopes to continue swimming them at either The College of New Jersey, Ramapo—with former Spartan teammate Maggie Herbert—or the University of Scranton.
Backstroke, butterfly and freestyle have always been her strong suits, but breaststroke didn’t come as easily. As a young swimmer, she actually had to stop racing in the 200 IM because the breaststroke portion weighed down her time.
“One day I tried swimming breaststroke again, and somehow I could do it so I began swimming IMs again,” she said. “My breaststroke is not perfect but it has come a long way. Other than that, I took to the strokes naturally, especially backstroke.”
By mid-January, Thayer began tapering for the Mercer County Championships on Jan. 31. She planned on doing the IM and backstroke as well as two relays in her final MCT. Her main goal is, naturally, to drop as much time as possible. Mostly, though, she just wants to enjoy her last county race.
“At counties, I am always so serious,” she said. “But because it is my last season, I want to make as many memories as I can and have fun with the sport I love because that is why I decided to swim in the first place.”
Interestingly enough, she adopted that philosophy in her role as captain. In Hailey’s World, there is time to work, and time to play.
“Hailey cracks me up,” Fling said. “She always has a hysterical quip to offer, and is a serious athlete at the same time.”
That’s not by accident.
“It is very important to display a balance,” she said. “If you are always serious, then people will be intimidated by you and not want to be friends with you, but if you are always goofing around then no one will respect you and you will not be a good leader.”
Thayer has done an admirable job of walking the fine line between both. And for anyone who thinks otherwise, she has no problem debating the issue.
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