This weekend the OVAC Bill Brubaker Swimming Championship will be held at Steubenville High School. My daughter, Alexis Causey, who is a 14-year-old freshman at East Richland Christian School, will be competing in the 50 yard and 100 yard freestyle events.
This meet will be very challenging for Alexis. In addition to the disadvantages of competing for a small school as its sole member, Alexis is attempting to come back from her third knee surgery in less than two years after suffering a severe track and field injury that aggravated a genetic deformity of the kneecap. Just prior to her injury, Alexis swam her best 50 yard freestyle time placing at a five state zone championship that was held at the University of Toledo with swimmers from Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia all competing. She also shined in the 50 yard butterfly during this event and helped lead the Wheeling Cardinal YMCA, 11-12 girls relay team to 4th and 5th place finishes.
Since her injury, Alexis has missed a lot of time in the pool and spent countless hours rehabbing her knee. While other swimmers her age have been improving, Alexis is still fighting her way back to the marks she set as a 12-year-old. However, it appears she may have turned the corner. Impressively, at a sprint event earlier this year, Alexis, by herself, scored more points than each of the following high school girl teams: Barnesville, Bellaire, St. Clairsville and Wheeling Central, resulting in a second place finish for East Richland behind Martins Ferry. I am one proud dad and wish her luck this weekend.
;)
