Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
TALENT POOL
Kennett’s Simmons shows off versatility in outstanding season
Kennett High School junior Liam Simmons, the Daily Local News 2021 Boys Swimmer of the Year, is particularly valued for his versatility and maturity.
“Liam is one of the most versatile swimmers I have ever worked with in my 27 years of coaching,” said Kennett swimming head coach Cindy Millison. “All of his strokes are well groomed, efficient and fast.”
Simmons’ versatility paid off at the 2021 PIAA Class 3A state championships, where he finished fourth in the boys 100 back (a schoolrecord time of 50.04) and placed ninth in the boys’ 200 IM. At districts, he was first in the 100 back and second in the 200 IM (1:53.41).
Out of the pool, the future Kennett boys’ swimming co-captain impressed his coach, too.
“I got the chance to really get to know the person that Liam is at districts and states this year as we had a lot of down time - sitting just the two of us in our socially distant venue, waiting on his events,” said Millison. “He struck me as mature beyond his years respectful, well spoken, smart, focused, patient and most admirably humble. Liam is going to go far, not only in sport but in life.”
Simmons went far at the PIAA Class 3A state championships at Cumberland Valley High School March 20, and he enjoyed the experience.
“I think the coolest part of the meet was seeing all the fan-in-the-stand cutouts and knowing that even though spectators weren’t allowed, we still had people behind us, cheering us on with every stroke,” said Simmons. “I’m grateful for the opportunity that Cumberland Valley and PIAA gave us. Just to hold this meet was a feat in itself, but to coordinate the logistics and have it run so smoothly made me appreciate how much they do to make sure student-athletes succeed, especially swimmers.
“Though I didn’t really taper or rest too much for the meet, I was pretty happy with my performance as I was close to matching my best times.”
One of Simmons’ favorite memories at districts was the performance of Kennett teammate Sydney McCracken, who finished first in the girls 100 breast.
“It was awesome that Kennett had two District 1 champions, Sydney in the 100 breast and then me in the 100 back,” said Simmons. “This was a true testament to the strength and resilience of the Kennett High School swim team and its swimmers, even in the face of a global pandemic, and can only mean bigger and better things to come.
“Winning the district in the 100 back was definitely an unforgettable experience District 1 brings some of the best competition in the state, which made the win so much more meaningful. And I was really happy about my 200 IM at districts - I came in with that event really being a wild card and ended up swimming a personal best.”
As a sophomore, Simmons’ 2020 high school swimming post-season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which in turn limited his offseason training.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all athletes of all sports, but I believe swimmers have truly been the most hard-hit group,” said Simmons. “Spending months out of the pool has forced us to adapt and find new ways of staying competition-ready.
“I spent most of quarantine with my training partner, Tommy Janton, doing dryland workouts, running, and preparing ourselves for when swimming returned. Before pools opened back up, we were given the opportunity to train at a friend’s pool where we had to set up a bungee system that would hold us in place while we swam.
“Luckily, by the fall, my club team was allowed to resume practices, and now I’ve been able to return to my normal schedule of six practices a week, ranging between 2-2 ½ hours each.”
The mental strain the COVID-19 pandemic imposed on Simmons and other swimmers during the past year was considerable.
“The biggest challenge I faced as a swimmer during the past year was the anxiety and worry of waiting to get back to swimming,” said Simmons. “Being out of the pool for so long caused concern for me - how the future would look, how it might affect where I go to school, and if I’d be the same swimmer I was before the pandemic. Being in the water almost every day, it feels like a second home, and I felt homeless for a while.”
Simmons first was attracted to swimming at age 7 at the Greenwoods Swim Club in Chadds Ford. There Simmons would meet a special coach, Scott Elliott, whom the Kennett junior calls “one of the most influential people in my life.”
Sadly, Elliott passed away on July 16, 2017, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
“He was more than just a coach, he was a mentor, a friend, and a hero,” said Simmons. “His love for the sport was matched, if not exceeded by his love for the team and every kid he taught. His passing was devastating and gutwrenching to the Greenwood Swim Club family, sent shock waves throughout the entire swimming community, and is really a constant personal reminder of why I do this [swim competitively].”
Simmons’ favorite swimming venue is the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, N.C., site of the NCAA Division I Championships. It also was the location of the YMCA Short Course and Long Course Nationals until the locations had to be regionalized due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Simmons has swum here once, at the 2019 YMCA Short Course Nationals.
“I remember dropping some time while also getting my first real exposure to a high-level national meet,” said Simmons. “Seeing some of the wicked fast times that came out of the meet inspired me to work hard to become one of the swimmers that swims those wow-worthy times.”
Out of the pool, Simmons, a National Honor Society member, belongs to several clubs at Kennett - Diversity and Equity Council, UNICEF and Thumbs Up Funs Up.
“Thumbs Up Funs Up is a club that works with other groups, like special education classes, to encourage a diverse and equal environment,” said Simmons. “The club was made in honor of Maggie O’Sullivan who dedicated herself to making sure all felt welcome and accepted in the diverse community that Kennett has.”
Simmons’ favorite academic subject at Kennett High School is Environmental Sciences, and is currently interested in the fields of economic theory, political science and business.