Senior swimmer looks to future

KEARNS — Natalie Edge's fantastic high school swimming career is coming to its conclusion.

Entering her senior season, the Kearns High sprinter has already won six individual state championships and will be a heavy favorite to collect two more next February. But it isn't the titles that have made her so special. It's everything else.

"All these years of coaching her — I've coached her since she was 10 years old — it's been a joyride," said coach Chris Horne. "She's just so awesome. She's just so much fun to watch. She just has so much power. Always been the kind of athlete that you dream about.

"She just does everything that you ask her to do. She just works really, really hard. She's always a self-motivator, too. She always tries to race the boys every day in practice and beats them."

Edge, one of the favorites to win Swimmer of the Year, will anchor Kearns' girls squad as it attempts to repeat as Region 3 champions.

She's been in the process of deciding her future. The early signing date for swimming came last Wednesday. Heading into it, Edge was deciding between the University of Utah and BYU. Asked about it last week, Edge said she was leaning toward Utah.

As for the prep swimming season, her individual goals are pretty simple. She's aiming to set state records in both sprinting events, the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 free.

Edge took a small break from swimming over the summer, and he's been raring to get into the prep season. "I feel pumped," she said.

Horne loves having her on his team, both for her individual ability and for the way she pushes her teammates.

"She's a captain this year, and I always have my captains lead the stretches. And she's the first one to get it going," said Horne. "The example she sets in the pool is for everybody else to follow. And everybody does. Everybody tries to keep up with her. They see that she works hard and that sets the whole environment for the whole team. It's just great to have that."

All in all, it should be a very interesting season for the Cougars. Graduation has definitely taken a big toll on this year's team.

With Edge and several other talented swimmers leading the way, the girls team shouldn't have any problem winning Region 3 again. But the boys team, which narrowly won region a year ago over West Jordan and Bingham, is going to have its hands full.