Schools
Senior Spotlight: Amanda Long
The 2011 Saucon Valley Homecoming Queen, Amanda Long is one of the girls' swim team captains.
Saucon Valley senior Amanda Long first hit the water at the Allentown YMCA/YWCA on 15th Street as a third-grader. She continued gaining additional swimming experience during her fifth and sixth grade years at Swim-In Zone in Center Valley. Her specialty just happens to be the breaststroke, which is one of the most challenging strokes to perfect.
As a ninth-grader Amanda swam the 200 individual medley (IM) and the 100 breaststroke, and was a member of the 200 medley relay team. She recalled that as a freshman, when she swam in the PIAA District XI AA championships at Parkland, at the start of the event she dove into the water and her goggles slipped down by her mouth. Unable to reposition them, she continued swimming while battling that distraction, and managed to place 7th, just a couple of spots below her seeding. Now that was determination!
"It truly is a joy to coach Amanda," head coach Kim Moncman said. "She is a wonderful person who is both a team leader inside and outside the pool. I have no doubt that whatever path Amanda chooses to take in the future she will be very successful."
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Moncman added that Amanda "is a very hard worker at practice and many times steps it up and leads the lane, even though it may not be her strongest stroke."
"I wish she was not a senior," she remarked. "I am excited to see how fast she is going to swim at districts."
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In addition to swimming, Amanda also plays outside hitter on the Panther volleyball team and outside midfielder as a member of the soccer team. Both activities enable her "to stay in shape" when she is not swimming, she said.
Her favorite subject is math and she lists "mashed potatoes" as her favorite food. Amanda is vice president of the student govenment, a member of the high school's chapter of the National Honor Society, and she participates in the Model UN. She said she would like to enroll at Elizabethtown College.
Amanda has an older sister, Jessica, who encouraged her to play volleyball. She is the daughter of Joseph and Susan Long.
Amanda said she is very thankful that her parents have always supported her and provided her the opportunity "to try everything."
