By: Alec Olson
SEATTLE-In all of O'Dea's over 100 years of athletic prowess, there have been many athletes who have come from all over Seattle, Shoreline, and all over Washington. Many people who choose to come to O’Dea know that they are coming partly for the athletic achievements of the school. But there is one outlier that might stand from above the rest for his commitment to O'Dea's history of winning, Prentice-Garnett Sanders.
Better known as Prentice, who travels from Lacey, Washington everyday witch during rush hour which is the times he commutes to school is a little over an hour and fifteen-minute drive.
Prentice is a swimmer who swims for King Aquatic Club in Federal Way, Washington, a club that has had its controversies over the years with former head coach banded from all swimming events for life after findings of Sexual misconduct with a minor were revealed in 2018.
These controversy's made King County Aquatics shut down for a while and most of the kids from King moved over to the club formerly known as CAAT (Central Area Squatic Club). After all the kids from King mover over to CAAT, they decided to rename their club to SMAC (Seattle Metropolitan Aquatics Club). But not Sanders, he wanted to stay with the coached that helped build him up to be the dominant swimmer he always was.
In an interview with Sanders, he talks on how and why he made the decision to go to O’Dea that was so far away from his home. “My mom gave me two other schools to apply for just to see if I would get in. One of them being O’Dea, and I got into both. So, she told me to pick one and O’Dea was my choice. After that it did take a bit of convincing but eventually, I saw the benefits of going to O’Dea rather than a public school near to where I live.”
It seems to be Sanders made the right decision with Coach Schutte guiding him in every step of the way, with him understanding that he is commuting from a spot very few people have ever commuted from to go to O’Dea.
Freshman year, Sanders showed out making O'Dea's A meadly and free relay teams, that would eventually go on to finish top 5 in state. That relay was star studded with All-American Jack Skarda and his brother Shea Skarda, and other freshman star August Peirce.
Sanders then goes on to talk about how people from his hometown view his decision to go to O’Dea. “At first they were very confused as to why I would go to O’Dea instead of a high school closer such as North Thurston or River Ridge, but then I explained to them how since I go to O’Dea, I am networking more than ever and building connections that I wouldn't be able to make if I stayed around Lacey/Olympia area.”
And it seems to be going very well in swimming and in the classroom. In his most recent club meet, The Washington State Senior SC champs, Sanders went a 4:50.82 second 500-yard freestyle which placed him 16th in the meet, competing with kids from all around the state and out of state, and kids all the way up to 18 years old.
His achievements in the classroom are also not so normal for a high school Sophomore, Sanders has written a book called “10 Steps to Make You A Better Swimmer” Sander's book is on amazon, and it was a top seller within its category.
In an interview with sophomore Wyatt Sanford who is part of the swim team he states “Pentice is a great swimmer and the grit I see in him is unprecedented for a guy our age, he's someone a lot of the freshmen look up to.”
Sanders ultimately wants to represent America in swimming in the Olympics and everyone at O’Dea believes in the Lacey man that he can do it.
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