Boemer Rules the Pool
Junior Already Committed to Michigan
Anna Boemer (’23) is an accomplished swimmer and student at RMHS.
June 3, 2022
Waves splash overhead as the swimmer closes in on the touchpad that hangs over the wall of the pool. As she draws near she breaks her stroke to reach out her arm and touch the wall. She then surfaces, and looks to the neighboring lanes to see others who may have finished before her. Unbeknownst to Anna Boemer (‘23) at the time, she had just won the division 2 state title in the 50 yard freestyle…as a freshman.
A Strong Start
Like many others in the sport, Boemer began swimming at a very young age. “My parents signed me up for the swim team at Meadow Brook (Golf Club) when I was 5.” A start similar to other great RMHS swimmers before her, like Molly Hamlin (‘21) who currently swims for Harvard and was also on the swim team at Meadow Brook. “I fell in love with the sport and just kept doing it.” As she got older she started swimming for Burbank YMCA’s Bluefins under Ms. Lianne Bradley (‘06) who is currently the head coach for the high school’s girls team. “I have coached Anna since she was 8- she has always had a love for swimming,” said Coach Bradley.
Boemer’s love for the sport is reflected in her work ethic according to Ally Kneeland (‘22), a captain for the swim team this past year. “She’s probably the hardest working teammate I’ve had in any sport. She really loves to work and it shows in how she performs.” This belief is also shared by Ms. Bradley, “Anna has always had a strong work ethic. She always has a goal in mind, and will do what it takes to meet the goal.” This hard working attitude has pushed her to level up her game and propel her to the resounding success she has had.
Rocket Success & A Taste of the Olympics
As stated earlier, as a freshman in 2019 she won the division 2 state title in the 50 yard freestyle with a time of 24.34. Her sophomore year however, things were different thanks to covid. While typically girls swim takes place during the fall, it was moved to the fall 2 season which took place starting in March. However, according to Ms. Bradley, Anna did not let covid and the pool closures that came with it get in the way of her training, “When COVID-19 hit, and so many people had to stop their training, Anna used this as time to get ahead, even though she did not have access to a pool she had upped her workout regime- she had huge time drops, broke a few school records, and had a great season.”
Regarding her Sophomore season Anna stated, “We had a couple of dual meets, and a big virtual league meet. It was definitely a weird season but I made a lot of great memories.” The summer following her sophomore year she was invited to participate in the Olympic trials following an impressive fall 2 season and posting qualifying times with the SOLO aquatics competitive swim program. At the first wave of the Olympic trials, she placed 21st in the 100 meter butterfly. While this performance wasn’t enough to send her to Tokyo, an appearance at the Olympic trials is in itself an astonishing feat.
Her junior year, she once again won the division title in the 50 yard freestyle and finished second in the 100 yard freestyle. To cap off her performance, she set a state record in the 100 yard freestyle.
Anna the Teammate
While Anna clearly stands out as an individual athlete, those that know her also feel she’s a great teammate to have. Ms. Bradley had to say, “The team aspect of swimming is important to Anna. She has always made sure to prioritize her teams, while also trying to navigate the world of being an elite athlete. She has been invited to many travel meets, recruiting trips at many schools, and she still has put in her best effort to balance the high school team aspect of swimming along with the importance of her individual swimming- she knows the importance of being a good team member and shares that with the rest of the team.”
Kneeland also felt that Anna excels as a teammate, “She’s a great teammate, and shows it through her leadership. She always comes in with a friendly attitude and is genuinely great to have on the team.” And there truly is no better team to be on than Reading when it comes to success as a team, having won 19 Middlesex League titles since 1991, and most recently going on a streak of titles from 2015-2021. So while Anna has grown well accustomed to her own individual success, she has needed to adopt the championship-centric mentality that has led previous Reading swim teams to put numbers on banners. And it shows in her leadership of teammates and her competitive attitude.
“Hail to the Victor”
Following her participation in the Olympic trials, Anna took the next step in her career by deciding where she’d be swimming upon graduating from RMHS. “I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Michigan!” These were the words written on Anna’s Instagram on October 16th last year. This message was accompanied with a picture of her sporting a Michigan hat and sweatshirt. Not only is the University of Michigan known for its prestige in academics, but also for excelling athletically at just about every varsity sport they offer.
To receive an offer to continue their athletic career at Michigan is an opportunity that very few receive. But for Boemer, it is a well deserved opportunity.
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