The butterfly effect: Skenandore eyes big prize

Kayla Skenandore's parents got a very early indication that their young daughter was going to enjoy swimming. When Kayla was just 10 months old, she was jumping off diving boards into the pool. Even though she didn't know how to swim, she somehow managed to survive, thanks to mom and dad dragging her out of the water a few times.

"I guess that's when they decided to get me into swim lessons as quickly as possible," the 17-year-old Waukesha South senior said. "My parents were freaking out when I would just jump into the pool."

And she's been swimming, and swimming, and swimming ever since. And doing so rather quickly.

Last year, as a junior on the state-ranked Waukesha South/Mukwonago varsity girls team, Skenandore captured her first WIAA Division 1 state championship, winning the 100-yard butterfly with a clocking of 56.06. She also finished third in the 200 freestyle at state with a time of 1:51.09 and also swam on two relays that placed third and fifth.

But winning the state title in the butterfly last year has made her even more hungry to win another one this season with an even bigger prize in mind. She wants to win another title and set a state record in the process.

The state record in that race is 54.55, set by Sarah Wanezek from Brookfield East in 1999. Both Skenandore and her longtime coach, Blaine Carlson, thinks she has a very good shot at becoming the fastest butterfly swimmer in state history.

"I think it's very doable for Kayla to set the record," said Carlson, who coaches Skenandore both for the Waukesha Express club team and the South/Mukwonago squad. "It's a matter of putting in the work, and that's something Kayla has never been afraid to do. She had a very good summer. Now we just have to work on a few techniques in the water."

Skenandore's best time in the butterfly is 55.3, set last March at the Junior Nationals in Orlando.

"There's no doubt that my goal this year is to win the butterfly again and also get the state record," Skenandore said. "Coach Carlson and I have been talking all season about it. We both think I can do it if things go well. We've talked about going as low as the 53's."

Besides winning the butterfly last year and finishing third in the 200 freestyle last year, Skenandore also turned in a big performance in 2009 as a sophomore. That year, she finished second in the butterfly and the 200 freestyle, turning in times of 56.70 and 1:52.28.

Despite being a highly successful club swimmer for the Express, Skenandore did not swim her freshman year.

"I went to Waukesha West my freshman year and decided not to swim there," Skenandore said. "I wasn't comfortable at West at all. For some reason the school wasn't right for me. I transferred to South the next year and started swimming for coach Carlson again. I love South. Switching schools has worked perfectly for me."

Competitive swimming has been part of Skenandore's life for a long time. She joined the Waukesha Express club team when she was 7 and instantly established a good relationship with Carlson.

"He's a great coach and it's been a lot of fun swimming for him," Skenandore said. "He makes everyone a better swimmer. He's been like a father figure to me. He's helped me out a lot."

Skenandore plans on swimming at college next year. Next week, she's going on a recruiting trip to Arizona State and that will be followed by trips to Purdue and Wisconsin.

"I'm going to all three schools and take a look," Skenandore said. "I want to find the right place to be. Right now, I'm open to all three schools."

As for right now, the place to be is in the pool. It's where she does her best work. South/Mukwonago will meet Arrowhead in a huge league dual Thursday.