Jackson’s dynamic duo: Limberg and Pressler

Published 10:14 pm Monday, November 17, 2014

MILL CREEK — The thing about freshmen athletes is, coaches are never quite sure what to expect.

But at the Class 4A state swimming and diving championships a year ago, Jackson High School coach Drew Whorley got a most pleasant surprise. Freshman Nicole Limberg reached the finals in both the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 breaststroke, and came away with a pair of fifth-place finishes.

Freshman Maddie Pressler was even better, taking fifth in the 100 backstroke and winning the 200 freestyle.

With Limberg and Pressler again ready to lead the Timberwolves into this year’s state meet, Whorley says he will no longer be surprised by his now-sophomore tandem.

“These kids know how much I believe in them,” he said. “I was surprised last year to see Maddie do what she did. And then to have two freshmen with four top-five finishes, that’s pretty good.

“I believe, and I hope they believe as well, that they’re now really capable of doing anything they choose. Because they’re exceptional athletes.”

Like any other pair of superbly talented teammates, Limberg and Pressler seem to encourage and inspire each other.

“They’ve come up together, they train together, they’ve pushed each other and they’ve seen each other have success,” Whorley said.

Limberg and Pressler each will swim two individual events and two relays at this year’s state meet, which runs Friday and Saturday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. As she did last year, Limberg will swim the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke, along with the 200 medley relay and the 400 freestyle relay. Pressler will be in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke, and the same two relays.

Limberg says she is hopeful of improving on last year’s finishes. “I definitely want to get in the top three,” she said, “but I don’t know. We’ll see what happens.”

Pressler, meanwhile, would love to repeat her 2013 victory. The experience of winning a year ago was, she said, “surreal. I didn’t expect it because there were other swimmers there that I’d known previously. They were really good and it was kind of intimidating. I was this little freshman in this big heat of juniors and seniors.”

According to Whorley, Limberg and Pressler have differing personalities, but they both share a strong determination to excel.

“Nicole is extremely competitive,” he said. “I don’t think she’s aware of any limits on herself. And technically, her breaststroke is one of the prettiest breaststrokes that I’ve ever seen. I don’t deserve any credit for that. Her coaches over the years have built great technique with her, and she can just get up and go.”

Pressler, meanwhile, “has a very, very natural feel for the water,” he said. “When she decides to apply appropriate force in the right direction … she can find this other gear like very few athletes I’ve ever coached. There’s a desire, a will and a competitive drive that seems to often separate her from her competition. It’s this intangible, this thing that can’t really be trained.”

To be an excellent swimmer, he added, “you’ve got to have the training, you’ve got to have excellent stroke technique, and you’ve got to have the mind of a (champion). And with those three components, these two athletes are special.”

If they can put it all together at state, Whorley said, “then I think we’re going to have a tremendous weekend.”