ow do you top participating in the United States Olympic swimming trials? Well, for Sylvia Roy, you report back to high school, hit the books and return to competing against fellow teenagers.

There is no letdown for Roy, of Vee Lynn Drive, who over the past several months set a state record in the 100-yard backstroke while winning PIAA gold for the second straight year, became a three-time WPIAL gold medalist in two events, and swam in two events at the trials—and who in the coming years has the potential to become a star in her sport on a bigger stage.

“I think it’s a good way to prepare,” Roy said. “All of these experiences, even though they’re different meets, they’re all kind of similar with getting yourself ready, getting in the right mindset.”

Still just 17, Roy went to Indianapolis in June for the trials. While she did not advance from her heats in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke events, she got the chance to compete in a meet dominated by college swimmers and dotted with Olympians.

Roy called it “by far the greatest thing that I’ve achieved in my whole swimming career, and I’ve been swimming since I was very, very young. I think just by watching some of those more experienced people, you start to learn maybe how they deal with things or how they get ready.”

Roy’s warmup includes listening to music on her AirPods along with stretching and other preparation. “I do like to listen to music before I swim. I think it gets me excited and ready to race,” she said.

Given her age and the fact that this is an Olympic year, Roy could be primed to take a run at the Olympics in the next couple of cycles. A year from now, she will be a freshman at the University of Virginia, which has one of the top swimming programs in the NCAA and has produced several Olympians.

One was Leah Smith, who attended Oakland Catholic High but, like Roy, got her start with the Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club (MLAC). Smith won a bronze in the 400-meter freestyle and a gold in the 4-by-200 -meter freestyle relay at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“Leah was a big part when Sylvia was making her decision,” said MLAC head coach Tom Donati. “She was a big help. When she’s home, she’ll come by and she’ll swim with Sylvia. We’re all in awe when she comes home.”

Roy appreciated Smith’s input: “It was nice to have someone to look up to in that way. It’s crazy to me that that was the school that she went to and a bunch of other people who did make the Olympic team went to,” she said–but she also has an influence even closer to home.

Roy’s mother, Alexis, was an accomplished swimmer, and like Sylvia a backstroker, for Lebo. Roy’s older sister, Vivian, swims for the University of Buffalo.

Asked if she passed along some of her talent to Sylvia, Alexis said, “I’d like to think so, but she’s pretty talented on her own.”

Alexis, though, leaves the coaching and oversight to Donati, MLAC director Luke Modrak and senior coach Bill Kennedy.

“I am strictly a cheerleader. I don’t even pick her events,” said Alexis, who backs Sylvia in more than just swimming. “She’s got straight A’s. She’s got AP classes. She’s got a great friend group. I don’t know what else you could ask for.”

One thing Roy certainly inherited is her mother’s swimming build. Alexis is 6 feet, Sylvia between 6-0 and 6-1, and Vivian is 6-1. “I thought at 6 foot I would never be the short one in the family,”
Alexis said.

“It’s just a nice combination of good genes and good work ethic,” Modrak said of Roy.

Roy is known for her strength in her shoulders and her arm pull, plus her tempo in the water. Beyond those physical attributes, “There are things that I can’t teach her that she has,” Donati said. “One of them is her drive.”

When she won states in the 100-yard backstroke last season, Roy not only set the state record but also became the first in Pennsylvania to break the 53-second mark, finishing in 52.90 seconds.

“I’m excited to see where she goes the next five, six years,” Donati said.

First, there is the matter of her final year of high school.

“Senior year, unlike most other seniors, she has that piece of the puzzle figured out, going to Virginia,” Modrak said. “She’ll be looking to repeat at WPIALs at the top of the podium and try to maintain that state record at PIAAs.

“No senioritis whatsoever.”