By: Justin Staggers
Sports Editor
For the first Athlete of the Week of the Spring 2023 semester, we have The Snapper’s own, Ava Adiletti. She is a sophomore here at Millersville, originally from Roxbury, Connecticut. Ava is a Sports Journalism and Media Arts Production major, and she is minoring in coaching.
Ava is a member of the Millersville women’s swim team. Last weekend, she and her team competed in the John. A Pidgeon invitational tournament that was held at IUP. The tournament was a huge success, as Millersville swimming secured five personal bests and two wins as a collective team. Ava also qualified for the PSAC championship meet this past weekend, looking to cap off what has been a great season for the team.
We talked to Ava about her success in the pool as well as the classroom and how she manages that.
Q: How long have you been swimming for?
A: I have been swimming since I was seven, so about 12 years now.
Q: What event do you participate in or which is your favorite?
A: I do breaststroke, and my favorite is the 100 yard breastroke
Q: Why did you choose Millersville University?
A: It was one of only schools that had a swim team and offered my major (Sports journalism). I also really liked the coaching philosophy of Eric Usbeck.
Q: Do you have a pre-match ritual? If so, what is it?
A: I just like to talk with teammates and goof around. It helps when I’m nervous.
Q: Do you ever get nervous before competing? If so, how do you manage it?
A: It has definitely gotten better but I still get nervous for competitions. The best way for me to manage it is to not think too much about it and be with my team, laughing and joking around.
Q: What are your personal goals this season and/or goals as a collective team?
A: Personal: Continue to drop time in events, especially breaststroke
As a Team: Continue to be supportive of one another, encouraging and being there for each other, even when we don’t have the best swim.
Q: How do you manage your time as a student athlete as well as an editor for The Snapper?
A: I definitely was nervous at first about becoming an editor for The Snapper. I wasn’t sure if I could manage it. Thankfully, I did join. It is all about finding time in between class and practice to get everything done.
Q: Is there any athlete that inspired you when you were younger?
A: Caleb Dressel – he is a younger swimmer, so it was cool to see him growing up with me. He became the face of swimming after Phelps retired. He is very humble and is a huge advocate for mental health in sports.
Q: What is the toughest part of being a student athlete?
A: I would say that not getting as much time off on breaks can be tough sometimes. Also, I am from Connecticut, so my family is not always able to attend all of the meets.
Q: What would you say to your younger self?
A: “Your hard work paid off and to keep going. Don’t let others negatively influence how hard you work.”
