Athlete of the Week: Dana Yu
As the swimmers push off the wall for their final lap, senior Dana Yu pulls ahead. When there are only a few yards left, however, one of Yu’s opponents from Deerfield Academy catches up, matching Yu stroke by stroke. As the two athletes approach the end of the pool, they push harder, and after a few seconds the race concludes. On the scoreboard, next to Yu’s name is a bold, red number one, and Yu’s teammates exult in a mix of screams and laughter.
Yu, a captain of Exeter’s girls’ varsity swimming team, she began swimming competitively at the age of eight for the Long Island Express, a club team in her hometown. “Being a swimmer has been a big part of my identity for a long time,” Yu said.
In middle school, Yu continued to compete for her club team, but she also joined the varsity swim team at her local high school. Coming to Exeter meant that she would no longer compete year-round, but she thinks it was a positive change.
“The biggest difference between my home team and NEGS is that NEGS definitely feels more like a family.”
In addition to being inspired by the upperclassmen on the team when she first came to Exeter, such as Emma Nuzzo ‘12, Olivia Jackson ‘13 and Corinne Noonan ‘14, Yu has looked at Olympian Michael Phelps throughout her swimming career. “I was 10 years old when Michael Phelps won those record breaking eight gold medals at the Olympic Games, so as you can imagine, I've looked up to him as an athlete since I was a little kid,” Yu said.
Coming to Exeter was a big change for Yu, for acclimating to a new group of people and a new environment was not easy for her. But NEGS, a nickname for the girls’ varsity swimming team, really helped her feel at home and adjust to the Exeter environment. “The biggest difference between my home team and NEGS is that NEGS definitely feels more like a family,” Yu said.
NEGS, Yu explained, is a really supportive community of girls that take care of each other no matter what the circumstance. “There are less than 20 girls on the team each year, so we get to know each other really well and spend a lot of time with each other both in and out of the pool. I don't know how I could survive the winters at Exeter without NEGS. We support each other through thick and thin, whether it be athletically or just in life,” Yu said.
Throughout her years at Exeter, Yu has improved exponentially as a swimmer, especially in the 100 meter backstroke and 100 meter butterfly. Senior Michelle Ysrael said of Yu, “She has an insane 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly, and in past years has placed very well in the top 8 at Interschols.”
Yu is a high-energy leader who her teammates count on in order to keep going during an arduous set. For the girls’ swim team, improvement means pushing yourself to the limit each and every practice. Yu knows how physically and mentally taxing this can be. She knows how to pick the team up when they are most tired. Upper Olivia Reed said, “She always comes to practice with lots of energy and during the sets can be counted on to give a word of encouragement. Last year, she was the one who began a tradition where we cheer before the last round of the main set to keep our energy up when we are our most tired.”
As well as having fantastic times and bringing a lot of energy to the pool, Yu has grown into a strong leader on the team. These leadership skill have really helped NEGS to come closer as teammates and be the best they can be. “She’s almost like a mother-like figure for the team, and some of us call her Mama-D. Her positive and encouraging attitude makes practice so much more fun,” Ysrael said. “Sometimes we both swim the 100 fly, and before the event she always helps me get pumped and ready to race.”
Prep and team member Maddie Shapiro thinks that Yu is a good compliment to her co-captain, Janet Chen. “Dana is definitely the wild one on the team. Janet is the 'lets get down to business,’ while Dana always tells us to just have fun and do our best.”
In the season, NEGS has had two wins and three losses all of which were very close competitions. Yu’s support and performance in the pool has helped her teammates to work hard and try their best in every event.
Furthermore, Yu has been an accomplished athlete that her teammates count on at every meet. As captain, she brings the NEGS’s family closer together with her enthusiastic, vocal leadership. She helps her teammates make it through the toughest stretches of their training by keeping the atmosphere light. Shapiro said, “Both Dana and Janet have made my first year on the team unforgettable and I'm really going to miss [Yu] when she leaves.”