The Milford Sports BLOG

Elle Massey, a freshman at Lauralton Hall, burst onto the state’s high school swimming scene in a big way this season.

Swimming for her dad, Lauralton head coach Vin Massey, she began the big-meet season by placing in the A-flights in both the 50 and 100 freestyle at the Southern Connecticut Conference championships. She was second in the 50 free and third in the 100 free.

Next, Massey won the Class S championship in the 50 free (24.20 seconds) and placed second in the 100 free (53.35). She also helped a pair of Lauralton Hall relay teams pick up points with ninth-place finishes, as well.

At the State Open meet, she placed fifth in the 50 free (24.30) and ninth in the 100 free (53.88).

In other words, this year-round swimmer, who also competes for Fairfield Aquatics, has started off her high school season off on the right foot, even establishing a new school record in the 50 free.

Once her season was wrapped up, Massey climbed out of the pool and went “On the Record” with the Milford Sports Blog.

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THE MASSEY FILE

Name: Elle Massey

School: Lauralton Hall

Grade: Freshman

Other Sports: Lacrosse

Future Goals: “Just keep winning for my school, getting our name out there, and just having fun with my team.

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MILFORD SPORTS BLOG: What led you to the pool to become a competitive swimmer?

ELLE MASSEY: Well, my dad, he pushed me a little towards it and then probably my coach and my teammates got me to keep going with the swim, with swimming. And then it was just fun being in the water. I always loved being in the water growing up, so it was just something that I enjoyed doing.

MSB: What was it about freestyle that led you to pursue that stroke vs. some of the others?

EM: Freestyle to me, it kind of came easy to me because my dad growing up, he was a freestyler as well, and just doing the stroke makes me feel good doing a flip turn and that stroke makes me feel good. I just feel fast when I do it, so I enjoy doing that.

MSB: You’re standing on the blocks before a big race. What is going through your mind in that moment?

EM: Usually don’t fall start, so don’t go before the whistle blows. That freaks me out a lot. And then I also pray sometimes too before just to help me get through the race as well as I can and just my teammates are counting on me, so I just want to do well for my school.

MSB: Give me a review of your freshman year in the pool. How do you feel you did?

EM: I thought it was such a good season just because of the comradery within the team. My captains supported me so much when I was swimming, so they are the people who got me through all the meets and just being around my team just was really fun and it was a really good season.

MSB: What’s it like to have your dad as your coach here?

EM: I kind of enjoy it because sometimes he’ll bring me food when I don’t. If I have my backpack, I’ll go to his car and I’ll put my backpack in, I’ll have to lug it around for me and he gives all of us good practices, so I enjoy doing that with him.

MSB: What is your favorite pool to compete in?

EM: Okay. My favorite pool is Wesleyan University. I think in Middletown because most of my championship meets are there, so whenever I’m there it gives me a sense of, oh, you got to do good. I just love being in there though because it’s such a fun atmosphere, whether in high school or just club.

MSB: What is your go-to pre-meet or pre-race psych up music?

EM: Oh, I know. So it’s the song Be Diva by Beyonce and just when I listened to it, it just makes me really confident because when I was seated first at a championship meet, I played that song for my walkout song and that just makes me really pumped up and it just makes me, I can do this.

MSB: What’s the best thing about Lauralton Hall?

EM: The people, my teammates here, they make it so enjoyable. They’re all so nice and they just really help me get through everything.

MSB: If you could change one thing about the school, what would it be?

EM: I don’t know. (Pause) Oh, I know. We could add a pool here instead of, there’s the field and there’s the basketball court, volleyball court, all of that. If we could add a pool at the school, that would help a lot because foreign is far from where I live. We swim at Foran right now.

MSB: Which teacher has had the biggest impact on you in your life?

EM: Probably my fifth grade teacher (Mr. Tibor at the Wilcoxsen School in Stratford). I remember so much that he taught me and he was so fun in class and I just think of all the fifth grade memories and it was really, really nice. He made it so fun.

MSB: It’s Thanksgiving week. What are you most thankful for?

EM: Definitely my parents because they do so much for me and my brother and they put food on the table. They give us warmth of roof over our head, so I really can’t do anything without them.

MSB: What is one thing nobody knows about you?

EM: When I first started swimming, I really wanted to quit because it was really hard at first. I didn’t know how to swim.  It was very hard.Very hard. And my coach at the time, she was very hard on us. She really wanted the best for us. So at first I was like, I don’t want to do this is so hard. But then I think as she started coaching me more and talking with me more, I started to progress and then I started to love the sport.

MSB: What is your favorite breakfast?

EM: Pancakes and bacon.

MSB: Favorite late-night snack?

EM: Anything salty I feel like.

MSB: What television show can you watch over and over and not get sick of it?

EM: Probably Gilmore Girls on Netflix, or Stranger Things on Netflix.

MSB: What one word best describes Elle Massey.

EM: Positive.