MAKING HIGH WATERMARKS SHIFLETT REAPS JUST REWARDS IN FINAL YEAR.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer WESTLAKE VILLAGE - The most amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. thing in watching swim practice at Oaks Christian High of Westlake Village is the thought that everything - the Olympic-size pool, the 50 swimmers in the water, the team with the Southern Section championship ambitions - all started with the girl in lane 16. Back when Oaks Christian was a campus under construction, before its first senior class even graduated, Brett Shiflett was her own swim team, competing unattached in dual meets for a school whose doors had just opened. Four years later, Shiflett has won four Southern Section Div. IV titles, entered her name and that of her school in the CIF (1) (Common Intermediate Format) A standard video format used in videoconferencing. CIF formats are defined by their resolution, and standards both above and below the original resolution have been established. The original CIF is also known as Full CIF (FCIF). record books and saved a spot for herself on Princeton's five-time Ivy League Ivy League Group of eight universities in the northeastern U.S., high in academic and social prestige, that are members of an athletic conference for intercollegiate gridiron football dating to the 1870s. champion team for next season. ``It's just getting better and better every year,'' said Shiflett, who set records in winning the 200-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly last year. ``It's kind of tough to leave.'' Along the way, Shiflett has overcome everything from a dislocated dis·lo·cate tr.v. dis·lo·cat·ed, dis·lo·cat·ing, dis·lo·cates 1. To put out of usual or proper place, position, or relationship. 2. kneecap kneecap (patella), saucer-shaped bone at the front of the knee joint; it protects the ends of the femur, or thighbone, and the tibia, the large bone of the foreleg. The kneecap is embedded in the tendon tissue of the quadriceps femoris, a large thigh muscle. to the death of her father. Currently, she is helping care for her younger brother Wiki is aware of the following uses of "'Younger Brother":
But Shiflett also has earned high praise from coach David Moore David Moore is a common English name and may refer to:
``She's the most dominant athlete on this campus,'' Moore said. ``She's the only individual champion. She's a record-holder, a six-time All-American. It just goes on and on. She dominates in her sport more than any other athlete, and rightfully so.'' As a freshman, Shiflett was coached by her mother, Diana, who also served as her driver. With no team at Oaks Christian, Shiflett had to compete unattached at Rio Mesa of Oxnard, driving 60 miles round-trip to swim two races in an outside lane. But Shiflett ended up winning the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke at the Div. IV championships as a ninth grader, the first titles ever won at Oaks Christian. The only problem was that the obstacles thrown in Shiflett's path got larger after that. Her sophomore year, Shiflett injured her knee playing basketball and swam ``on one leg'' as Moore put it, the rest of the season. Then as a junior, Shiflett lost her father and biggest fan, Stephen, to a heart attack. She recovered to shatter shat·ter v. shat·tered, shat·ter·ing, shat·ters v.tr. 1. To cause to break or burst suddenly into pieces, as with a violent blow. 2. a. records at the section championships, dedicating the victories to her father. His death came the same year as Shiflett's older sister, Nicole, left home to attend Yale. ``It was kind of like two things at once Two Things at Once is the 1988 compilation release by the punk band The Descendents. Tracks 1-15 is the full length Milo Goes to College in its entirety. Tracks 15-21 is their Fat EP. Tracks 22 and 23 are the Ride the Wild/It's a Hectic World single. ,'' said Shiflett, who will be bidding to win the 200 freestyle for the fourth consecutive year at Saturday's Royal Invitational in·vi·ta·tion·al adj. Restricted to invited participants: an invitational golf tournament. n. An event, especially a sports tournament, restricted to invited participants. Adj. 1. . ``But my mom did a really good job of helping me through it.'' In the face of that tragedy, however, Shiflett still wears a smile to practice. ``All those things that have happened have sort of put her where she is,'' Moore said. ``You can see kids that lose a parent like that and they completely fall apart. She's become a leader because of it.'' Her Oaks Christian teammates can only marvel at what Shiflett has done. Senior captain Chris Hudson This article is about the NFL player. For the suspect in the 2007 Melbourne CBD shootings, see Christopher Wayne Hudson. Christopher Reshard Hudson said he is unsure if there is a boy on the team who can keep up with Shiflett. CLASS Aquatics coach Steve Reardon said Shiflett has a way of making the final 50 yards of her races appear as if she is swimming downhill while the rest of her competitors are swimming uphill. Shiflett has that extra gear most don't. ``I'm glad (the Oaks Christian program) developed in time for her to be a part of it,'' Reardon added. ``A lot of times the ones who blaze the trail are not around to enjoy all of the benefits.'' Shiflett expected the team someday would grow to 20 swimmers. It boasts more than 50 today. The boys are undefeated this season and the girls already have beaten defending section champion Carpinteria in a dual meet. No matter what, though, the Lions always will trace their lineage to Shiflett, the one who started it all. ``She's just a great person,'' Moore said. ``People always say, 'I'll bet you'll be sorry to see Brett leave.' Yeah, but I'll be sorry to see her leave because of who she is.'' Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Oaks Christian's Brett Shiflett helped pioneer the swimming program, and overcame much in her four years. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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