Swimming for Castle Crocs for 12 years gave Elise Barton a passion for sport, a drive to push herself and a work ethic that continues to motivate her today. Elise, who grew up in The Ridge at Castle Pines North neighborhood, began with the Crocs at age 5 and over the years she grew to love competitive swimming. Reflecting on the mental and physical nature of racing, Elise recalled, “It worked a different part of my brain because it was very specific with time; I liked the meticulous plan of it all.”

Elise’s love of swimming transitioned from her childhood summers to adolescence seamlessly. While attending Rock Canyon High School, she was a member of the swim and dive team, as well as track and field, Spanish Honors Society and Eco Club. The summers were just as busy for Elise; she continued swimming with the Crocs while also coaching younger swimmers. “It was really cool to teach the next generation and watch them make improvements on their swim journeys,” Elise reminisced.

By her senior year and when choosing a college, Elise considered both swimming and her academic interest in Spanish. When Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon offered her a scholarship, Elise took the opportunity to live somewhere new. Elise immediately felt at home with the swim team’s welcoming atmosphere; and by the end of her first year, she was nominated team captain, a role she held until graduation where she said she worked to improve team dynamics and learned what it means to be a leader.

“It wasn’t a job, but it still had a lot of weight because of how much the team and sport mattered to me,” she added. Elise finished her senior year last spring as swim captain and won the Judy McMullen Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, a medal given by her college to female athletes who show academic and athletic accomplishments.

Outside of the pool, Elise’s college years were just as rewarding. She double majored in Hispanic studies and biochemistry and molecular biology. She studied abroad in Chile during her junior year, where she lived with a host family in Valparaíso. During school breaks, Elise enjoyed traveling to Argentina, Peru, Brazil and Easter Island.

Today, Elise is focused on the future. She recently became EMT-certified and is working as a medical assistant at a hospital in Oregon. “It has been a very fulfilling experience so far,” Elise remarked. Long term, she hopes to pursue medicine school and become a trauma surgeon.

In her free time, Elise continues to swim and run. In August, she ran the PeaceHealth Appletree Marathon in Vancouver, Washington, placing 17th overall among women and first in the women’s 19-24 age category. Elise remains grateful for the foundation the Crocs gave her and the opportunities swimming has allowed her to pursue in both sport and life as well as the lessons it has taught her along the way.

 

 

By Emma Waggett; photos courtesy of Elise Barton