Barrington High School named November 25th, 2014, as Kirsten Jacobsen Day in honor of BHS swimmer Kirsten Jacobsen who won TWO state championships during the State Swim Finals at Evanston Township High School this past weekend. Kirsten won the state championship in the 200-yard freestyle for the second consecutive year and she also won the state championship in the 500-yard freestyle for the third consecutive year – and she’s only a JUNIOR!
At BHS, they name a day after state champ student athletes, and this week was the THIRD Kirsten Jacobsen Day celebrated at Barrington High School. I caught up with Kirsten yesterday being photographed with her mom, Patty Jacobsen, BHS Principal Steve McWilliams, her high school swim coach, Jim Bart, and Barrington 220 Superintendent Dr. Brian Harris.
Kirsten says having a day named after her is a huge honor. “It’s kind of weird, but it’s fun when people who know me congratulate me as I walk around school.”
Barrington High School Athletic Director, Mike Obsuszt, who was snapping yesterday’s celebratory photos, says the peer congratulations are well deserved. “Winning a state championship is pretty impressive in itself, but to do it two years in a row and in the 200 and three years in a row in the 500-yard freestyle, that’s kind of uncharted territory for most swimmers so it’s an unbelievable accomplishment!
“First of all it says a lot about Kirsten and her work ethic and the fact that her parents gave her the opportunity as a young kid to be involved in swimming,” says Mike. “It’s a compliment to all of the people around her, her swim club coaches, her high school coaches. But more than anything else, Kirsten Jacobsen Day celebrates her dedication and discipline and all those early morning hours she’s spent swimming. It’s a compliment to Kristen for the achievements she’s earned through such hard work.”
After this weekend’s win, Kirsten has the chance to become the first four-time winner in the 500 freestyle if she takes the state title again next year. And Mike believes she can do it! “We’re going to try to go for four straight years as a state champ which, again, would be amazing!”
(CLICK HERE to read a recent interview with Kirsten Jacobsen, courtesy of HighSchoolCube.com.)
Kirsten will also be honored at an upcoming meeting of the Barrington 220 Board of Education. She only takes two weeks off from swimming all year and one of them is this week, as she celebrates Thanksgiving out of town with her family.
