For as long as she can remember, Sedona Red Rock High School junior swimmer Louise Taylor has gone by Breezy. It’s a nickname adapted from her actual first name and is how she’s known to her friends, teammates and most of her family. The nickname suits Taylor’s performance in the pool, as well.
Taylor qualified for the state meet as a sophomore in 2019, even reaching the B Final in the 100 breaststroke. Looking ahead to the upcoming high school season, one of Taylor’s goals is to make her schedule at the 2020 state meet a little busier.
“I’m definitely hoping to make it to state again — I really want to focus on my 500 [freestyle] and 100 breaststroke,” Taylor said. “In the 500 I didn’t make it to finals last year but want to do that this year. I’m looking to drop time mainly.”
In addition to her role as one of the best swimmers on the team, Taylor will also be a captain for the Scorpions this season. She’s looking forward to taking on those responsibilities, as well.
“Focusing on team dynamics is a big thing,” she said. “We have a very small girls side. I’m just hoping we can improve individually. That’s the main focus. And always focusing on team building and fundraising.”
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has thrown Taylor’s normal training routine for a loop. She swims with the Sedona Swordfish swim team, which is coached by SRRHS high school coach Dan Morse. While the pool has been open to Taylor for much of the summer, the Swordfish haven’t gotten to partake in any official meets since before things were shut down in March.
Despite the challenges, Taylor credited Morse with keeping her and her teammates in shape.
“It hasn’t been too bad,” she said. “Dan’s been really good about trying to keep us in shape. A lot of us have started boxing in quarantine with Dan. We’ve been trying to get a lift in whenever we can. Some of us have picked up running in quarantine. That was not very fun but you got to do what you got to do. We’ve really been trying our best to take it seriously and stay as prepared as we can heading into this fall.”
Starting her junior year, Taylor still has two years of high school remaining. And after her graduation in the spring of 2022, she has no plans on stopping school.
Following her high school graduation, Taylor hopes to attend college and work toward a career in psychiatry, which would require even more schooling.
It’s a field that would give Taylor the chance to pursue two areas that have long interested her.
“I’m really into mental health and the medical field,” she said. “That kind of combines the two. I’d really like to advocate for mental health and I want to learn as much about it as I can. I want to make it my career.”
A good short-term mentality is also what Taylor feels she’ll need to accomplish her long-term goals for the season.
“A lot of the mental aspect, going one practice at a time and staying focused in the water,” Taylor said of her goals this season. “And having fun with it. That’s a big thing. Staying focused, having a goal every day and trying my best to make those goals, whether it be an extra dolphin kick off of the wall or anything. Just having a good day in general.”
