Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Carson Sandstrom, Havre High swimming

As Havre goes through another harsh winter, the Havre High School swimming teams are not afraid to dive right back into the season as they return from their winter break. The Blue Ponies will start the second half of their season this Saturday when they swim against Great Falls and CMR at Havre Community Pool.

One swimmer returning to the pool this weekend will be junior Carson Sandstrom. This will be the first time the Ponies will swim at home this season, so Sandstrom is excited to compete in a more comfortable setting.

"It's fun to travel but sometimes it's nice to be at the same pool," Sandstrom said. "Different pools have different feels and the Havre pool is certainly one that I'm used to. It's nice to compete in a pool that you're used to."

Sandstrom has been swimming as long as he can remember. He is originally from Lakin, Kansas, where he first started taking swim lessons with the local swim team. When he was in fourth grade, his family relocated to Montana and originally looked for a bigger town for a better swim team. But Sandstrom is happy his family decided to make Havre their new home.

"I think I ended up pretty lucky with the teams that we have here. They are pretty good," Sandstrom said.

Along with swimming, Sandstrom participates in several other activities at Havre High School. In the spring, he competes in track and field in events such as pole vault, javelin, the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. In the fall, Sandstrom plays the saxophone for the school marching band. He began band in sixth grade and started marching band in high school. He enjoyed this most recent season with the marching band as the band got to travel with the football team for away games.

As a swimmer, Sandstrom loves to swim in the freestyle races at meets. He is particularly fond of the 50, 100, 200 and 500 freestyle races. Looking ahead to the second half of the season, Sandstrom aims to record a time of at least 51 seconds on the 100 freestyle and he hopes to at least place second in the 500 freestyle at state.

With their winter break now over, Sandstrom and the Ponies will host a meet this Saturday at Havre Community Pool. Before Sandstrom next swims, the Havre Daily News got the chance to ask him a few questions.

HDN: What do you enjoy the most about swimming?

Sandstrom: "I would say the camaraderie and also the competitiveness. I can still be friends with someone and want to beat them at the same time in swimming."

HDN: How does your experience in one sport help you in the other?

Sandstrom: "It helps me learn communication skills because I have to learn. I have to be able to talk to my teammates and understand what they need to do."

HDN: What do you do before winter to keep in shape?

Sandstrom: "One thing that keeps me in shape in the offseason is marching band because we do laps around the track and I carry around a big sax. I play baritone saxophone so carrying around a big saxophone is physically demanding with the lungs. I have to blow through the saxophone and march at the same time which is hard."

HDN: Who do you credit for helping you become the swimmer you are now?

Sandstrom: "I would say my dad. He used to take me to the pool all the time and he would do some pretty hard workouts. He would always be yelling at me to get faster and he's a really motivational person."

HDN: Outside of sports and marching band, what other activities do you enjoy?

Sandstrom: "I like to bike. I ride bike and mountain bike. I also unicycle. Unicycling is really fun. I white water kayak. I went on my first river trip down the middle fork of the Flathead with my dad this past summer which was really fun."