By Blake Colston
Sports Writer
Yukon’s Clayton Berg showed up to Monday’s All-State swim meet anxious and unsure about what to expect. He left thankful for the experience.
“I’m glad I was able to be part of it,” said the four-time state qualifier. “There were a lot of people there that I’ve been swimming against my entire high school career, but I’ve never gotten to be on the same team as them.”
Berg finished second in the 200-meter individual medley and fourth in the 100-meter butterfly while also competing in the 400-meter freestyle relay and the 200-meter medley relay for the West team in front of a large crowd at Edmond’s Mitch Park YMCA.
The East team beat the West, but neither Berg nor any of his teammates were too concerned with the results.
“There was zero pressure. We showed up, swam and had fun,” he said. “That’s what we all wanted to do.”
The meet put a bow on Berg’s impressive prep career, which included a slew of school records – including the 200 IM and 100-meter breaststroke – and four consecutive appearances at state.
“It’s a testament to my high school career and what I was able to do that I made it to (All-State),” he said. “Everybody there was good, so it put it in perspective for me that I was one of them.”
Berg’s swimming career is not over. The next chapter will begin this fall at Division-III Lake Forest College in Chicago. Berg was contacted by the school’s coaching staff near the tailend of his YHS career and ultimately visited Lake Forest twice before committing.
“The connection was there with the coaches and the visits were great,” Berg said. “College swimming will be another level of competition, but I’m excited to see how much I can improve. It’s a whole new experience that I’m really looking forward to.”
Berg plans to major in physics at Lake Forest.
A LOVE FOR WATER
The pool was a natural place for Berg to excel.
“I’ve always loved to swim. The ocean, the pool, I’ve just always wanted to be around water since I was a kid,” he said.
Berg, who works as a lifeguard while school is out of session, began his swimming career in summer leagues during elementary school. He played other sports, too, but quickly decided that swimming was his first love.
“I was naturally better at it than all the other sports I tried,” he explained
After a strong freshman season at YHS, Berg joined Bison Aquatic’s club team to sharpen his skills and the rest, as the cliche goes, was history.
“I want to see where (swimming) leads me,” he said.
