Athlete Spotlight: Handley swimmer Clay Sublett
Posted: February 5, 2013
Handley High School 18-year-old senior
Sport: Swimming
Events: 100 butterfly and 200 medley relay
Parents: Frank and Meg Sublett
Hometown: Winchester
When did you start swimming: Sophomore year. My friend Sparkle Kitchin [a former Handley swimmer] convinced me to go out for the team.
What you love about swimming: The team is really close. It’s a lot closer than other sports, I think. We’re all just really close friends.
Biggest strength and weakness in swimming: [Strengths], my best stroke is the butterfly, and short distances. I just tried butterfly junior year and I ended up being pretty good at it. [Weaknesses], definitely backstroke, and when I have to do longer distances.
Sport you always wanted to try: I’ve never done competitive hockey. I’ve played hockey and I like ice skating, but I’ve never been on a team.
Most memorable moment in swimming: My sophomore year. Before districts, the whole team shaves their heads. The first time I did that was pretty memorable, because I had long hair my whole life before that.
Most embarrassing moment in swimming: My first year, we did a pentathlon so everyone did each of the strokes and an [individual medley]. I was disqualified in three out of five of those races. I was just doing the strokes wrong. It was the first month of me swimming at all.
Favorite athlete: [Olympic gold medal swimmer] Ryan Lochte. I think he’s fun to watch, and he’s funny.
Favorite sports team: Green Bay Packers
Three people you can have dinner with, dead or alive: [Apple co-founder] Steve Jobs, [Saturday Night Live creator] Lorne Michaels and my grandfather Sherwood Sublett, who died before I was born. I’ve always respected Steve Jobs, and thought he ran Apple pretty well. He always had good ideas. I also respect Lorne Michaels, because I think he’s a funny person. I would have liked to have met my grandfather.
Favorite subject in school: Math. That’s what I’m best at, and I like that there’s always a solid answer.
What’s on the iPod: A big mix of things. Popular and alternative music.
Pregame routine/ritual: Nothing besides what the rest of the team does, which is just stretching and maybe listening to some music.
Plans after high school: I’m going to study engineering in college - I’ve been accepted to Georgia Tech, Virginia and Wisconsin. I just like the math part of engineering, and problem-solving.
— Compiled by Robert Niedzwiecki