Peak Performer: Pine Creek’s Isabella Burton believes iron sharpens iron (copy)
As parents and coaches described Isabella Burton, each landed on the same adjective:
Tenacious.
Burton, a Pine Creek senior and this week’s Peak Performer, continues the grind in the swimming pool despite helping Pine Creek earn a state title last season and signing to swim at Division I Denver next year.
“Our swimmers see that effort and get to see the outcome of that hard work,” Eagles coach Kent Nelson said. “They see that on the high school side, whether that’s setting records, winning titles. Or on the club side where they go to nationals, junior nationals or the Olympic Trials. … It helps motivate everyone when your highest-level athletes are accomplishing so much. Everyone steps up.”
Burton discovered her passion for swimming at her aunt’s house when Burton’s family lived in Italy.
Her father, Bill, said at first, Burton’s swim experience began with the typical splish-splash kids enjoy in the pool.
But Bill observed his daughter taking mental notes of other swimmers and mimicking what she watched.
“She wasn’t a natural at first, but she made a fair attempt at it,” Bill said. “Then, she got quite good at doing what they were doing. She picked it up very well and I thought, ‘maybe she could be good at this.’”
Burton received lessons while in Italy and spent a year swimming in England before her parents moved back to Colorado Springs in 2015 for work.
When the family returned to the U.S., Burton’s parents saw the shift in their daughter’s demeanor.
Every time Burton swam, she craved victory.
“It’s always been in her personality that she wants to win,” said Burton’s mother, Mandy. “She’s really competitive and has always wanted to beat her sister. It’s always been a healthy sibling rivalry. Once they leave the pool, they leave that behind.”
Burton’s sister, Molly, who previously swam with Pine Creek, said her tenacity comes from wanting to beat her sister in swimming.
The siblings constantly raced as adolescents with Molly besting her sister. But as both moved to high school, Burton began closing in on her sister.
“When I was 13 or 14 was when I really noticed it,” Burton said. “My freshman year, I would do double, sometime triple practices, in a day. … This was during COVID and only the top 20 qualified for state. It was a good way for me to see how the practice and effort I put in paid off. That made me realize how much further I could go, and I think it pushed her, as well.”
As a senior, with her college decided and a team state title under her belt, Burton continues the push.
According to Swim Cloud, which ranks swimmers, Burton is 17th in USA High School swimming, 20th in USA Club 15-18, and 16th in the Club Open category.
Last season as a junior, Burton ranked 44th, 55th and 88th, respectively, in each category.
Along with thanking her sister, Burton said she was grateful for her teammates, who inspire her to improve every competition, especially Eagles star Madi Mintenko, who ranks fifth in the state.
“Madi is a big factor in motivating me, especially at practice,” Burton said. “She’s accomplished so much at such a young age. Seeing how far she’s gone with our training program, it helps me see that with hard work and trying to keep up with her at practice, it can help me get far and hopefully get some state titles, as well.”
Isabella Burton poses for a portrait in the Pine Creek High School pool after practice on Tuesday
.
Isabella Burton poses for a portrait in the Pine Creek High School pool after practice on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024.
