What’s it like to be only 14-years-old and already one of the best backstrokers in the world? For Regan Smith of Riptide Swim Team in Apple Valley, MN, it’s just a stepping stone.
If you haven’t heard of Regan Smith by now, it’s time to start paying attention. At only 14-years-old, Smith traveled to Tokyo and Hong Kong to compete in the FINA World Cup alongside the best swimmers in the world. The youngest member of the National Junior Team, Smith’s youth and inexperience on the international stage took a backseat to her tenacity and raw talent in the pool.
Smith swam alongside titans including Katinka Hosszu and Emily Seebohm, racing each of them eight times between the two competitions. Though Hosszu and Seebohm got the better of Smith this time, she held her own and remained steady with her times. Already a NAG record-holder in the 13-14 age group after taking down Missy Franklin‘s 100 LCM backstroke record (tied once, broke twice), Smith’s upward trajectory heightens with each major competition.
At the World Cup Smith became the 11th-fastest American female in history in both the 100 (58.13) and 200 (2:04.77) SCM backstroke races, despite not resting whatsoever. “She’ll rest on the plane!” said her coach, Mike Parratto, the week before the competition in Tokyo. Well, the results speak for themselves. At the time of this writing, Smith is ranked 6th in the world in the 200 SCM backstroke and is tied for 16th in the 100 SCM backstroke. Similar to Missy Franklin in the 2009 & 2011 Duel in the Pool and 2011 FINA World Championships, Smith has gotten a taste of international competition that could aid in sling-shotting her into the spotlight in 2020 when the world turns its attention to Tokyo.
Next month Smith will compete in the Speedo Junior National Championships where she will swim an impressive lineup. Though she is focused on breaking more NAG records in the 13-14 age group, she will not fully taper until the 2017 Phillips 66 National Championships, where she aspires to earn a spot on the 2017 Junior World Championship Team.
Here, Smith talks about her experience at the World Cup:
Proud to be on her swim team, Riptide! I have seen Mike Parrato’s wife coaching and she has coached me!
My child transferred to Riptide a few years ago, the training program has been great. Watching Regan and the rest of her team mates develop has been the best example of Coach Parratto’s knowledge. She and the team have been great role models for the younger swimmers coming onto the team.
Regan has established herself as an elite swimmer in the last year. Her Coach, Mike Parratto, who developed Jenny Thompson, now has Regan on the same path. This will be fun!
He absolutely knows what he’s doing with her. Taking things slow and not forcing the process. Guarantee she does no weight training other than body resistance stuff. Safe and smart. Regarding the high school comments, the Minnesota governing board or whatever needs to be smarter than this. They gain nothing with these kind of strict rules. Without these USA Swimming clubs, the high schools have squat for talent. Cooperate!
FYI – Her PBs in 1bk and 1fly would easily win the HS state last weekend:
Regan: 52.58/54.29
MN HS AA winning times: 53.39/54.56
I’m 99% sure that fly time is two years old. She missed club state (sick) in March. Think she’ll destroy it at Jr’s. Altho, Tristen Ulett (sp?) is still 14 and will have something to say about that I’m sure.
Her 100fl time was was swum at the 2015 sc JNat so it’s almost a year old.
Remarkable young lady! I recall officiating some of her very first AG meets when she was a tiny 7-yr-old!! She started to get super fast at 9. Great family as well. Agree with @Sean that she has a bright future. It will be fun to wait to watch her compete next year at World Jrs, coached by Kate Lundsten who was a great Minnesota backstroker herself (NCAA D3 national champion in 100/200BK & record holder in 200BK) and coached Olympian Rachel Bootsma, again a Minnesota backstroker.
Will she swim high school again? Minnesota makes swimmers attend all hs practices instead of letting them swim with a club coach during the season. Missy swam almost exclusively (in Colorado) with her club but then also swam meets. I miss seeing Regan swim at high school meets but I don’t blame her. She can’t get the workout she needs in a lane at Lakeville North high school. No slam on those kids but it’s not gonna work. If the MSHSL would walk into the 21st century, maybe we’d get to see her swim more often locally! Please!!!
I doubt she would swim HS again. She did it as a 7th grader and finished 2nd at State in 1bk and 1fly behind then senior Zoe Avestruz, also Kate Lundsten’s backstroker, I must add, and now swimming for the Gophers. There are exceptions in MN HS rules that would allow her to swim club during HS season. If I were the Lakeville North HS coach, I would let her swim anywhere she wants as long as the rules allow and she swims in all meets.
My understanding was that the North coach tried to get it to work. But I believe all he could offer was for her to swim mornings with Parratto twice a week. Otherwise HS practice. That just won’t work. But I don’t think the coach has a choice. Hands are tied by mshsl rules.
I heard that’s the case for a few top (young) boys as well for the upcoming boys hs season in MN. I understand the importance of being part of a team in HS swimming, but club and hs swimming should not be mutually exclusive. Swimmers in many other states don’t have this problem. Personally I think the arrangements should be made among the club & hs coaches, and of course the swimmer.
Juniors will be fun. She has a great shot at NAG records in 100/200 back, 100/200 fly, 100/200 free and 200IM. Depends on her schedule…if she triples it’ll be tough to do it. She missed high point at Jrs in August by something like a point or two so I hope she doesn’t care about swimming 8 events and instead does only 5 or 6. She could break a NAG record in every event. Obviously a tall order but it’s possible. Toughest is probably 200im due to her relatively weaker breaststroke.
Maybe but i doubt it. It sounds like she won’t rest enough to do that. 100 Back & 100 Fly probably. But the others are tough. I showed her SCM time from that World Cup in 200 back (2:04.77) to be a low 1:52. She needs 1:51.07 (Franklin) for a NAG. 200 Fly NAG is 1:56.01 (Cassidy Bayer) and I’ll bet Parratto has her doing 55,000 yards a week. Easy. Either way, cool. She’s fast in a lot of events. Looks like she has 7 Trials cuts at 14? Nice.
One of the really impressive swimmers in the USA Swimming “up and coming” stable. Have enjoyed watching her since she was 9 or 10. Works hard, stays humble and genuinely appears to love what she’s doing. And she’s very calm under pressure. Adds up to the potential to have a really bright future. And I’m sure she’d enjoy swimming for Kate Lundsten at Junior Worlds next year. Good luck to her.
Speaking of Missy. Will we be seeing her anytime soon?