Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Aubri McCann, Havre Swimming

By day, Aubri McCann is a student at Chinook, but after, she treks to Havre as one of the Blue Ponies' top swimmers

Aubri McCann is a unique high school athlete, and it's not just because she is one heck of a swimmer. It's also because, unlike most athletes her age, McCann, who attends Chinook High School, doesn't get to swim for her school. She should be a Sugarbeeter but instead she's a Blue Pony.

It may sound strange but in reality it isn't. Chinook doesn't have a swim team, meaning McCann, the only swimmer in the state that attends a Class C school, had to join Havre High's team in order to participate in the sport she loves.That's when she started donning Pony blue instead of the orange and black colors of the Beeters.

Yet, despite being on a team with swimmers from another high school and having to make the the 22-mile commute every day just to get to practice, McCann loves to swim and that's why she's willing to do what it takes.

As far as the Ponies are concerned, her presence on the team has been a blessing, as she has turned into one of their top performers.

Last season, McCann was the one of a handful of Havre swimmers to make a final heat at state and finished 11th in the 100-meter breaststroke. And this season, the junior is picking up right where she left off.

In the opening dual meet of the season against Great Falls High and CMR on Dec. 13, McCann had strong individual performances in both the 50- and 100-meter freestyle, finishing third in both against strong Class AA competition.

Then, McCann had another stellar day at the Great Falls Pre-Relay Meet on Dec. 19, where she posted third-place finishes in the 50 free and the 100 breaststroke. She was also part of a 200 medley relay team that finished seventh.

This past weekend, McCann and the Ponies were in Hardin to compete in the Class A Invite against Billings Central and Hardin and it was there that McCann took home her first individual title of the season by winning the 100 breaststroke to go along with a third-place showing in the 200 free.

This week, McCann and the Ponies will be in Great Falls Saturday to take on CMR and Great Falls High as they continue preparing for the state meet next month. But before McCann got into the pool for practice, the Havre Daily News caught up with her for five questions.

HDN: How long have you been swimming?

McCann: "I have been swimming since I was five or six. I think I was six when I started. I really like the water, it's relaxing to be in it. It's not easy, but I know what to do so I don't have to stress about it."

HDN: So how does it feel to be on the Havre swim team instead of swimming for Chinook?

McCann: "At first it was kind of weird. I didn't know what to expect and I didn't know anybody. So I was just kind of quiet. But, then I got to know everybody and that made it a lot more fun."

HDN: So do you think of yourself as more of a Blue Pony or a Sugarbeeter?

McCann: "I think of myself mainly as a Blue Pony. Besides the fact that I go to school in Chinook, most of the time I am up (in Havre) so I feel like more of a Blue Pony than a Sugarbeeter."

HDN: Are you a fan of swimming?

McCann: "Oh yeah. The last time the Olympics was on, I would watch every race. It was really exciting and just made me want to swim more. I really like watching the breaststroke races, it doesn't really matter who it is or what country or whatever, just the way they swim is just so perfect and fast, it's just really fun to watch."

HDN: You guys (HHS girls) finished second at state last season. What do you think you will need to do to win it this year?

McCann: "We just need to work really hard in practice right now and then hopefully, by the time state comes around, we are all in shape enough to beat who we need to beat in order to win a state championship."