NorthWood senior Kate Jarvis has her sights set on a piece of Panther swim history this winter. (File photo by Mike Deak)

NAPPANEE – It’s .3 seconds Kate Jarvis has thought about for nine months.

A slap of the water at the Northridge Natatorium wasn’t noticed by most in the finals of the 100 freestyle at the sectional, where the attention was pointed to the middle lane for the championship winner, MaKayla Miller of Concord. But those dreaded three-tenths of a second left Jarvis short of a school record she aimed to catch. And is now primed to chase in her final go-round as a senior.

“It’s a season-long process, not one minute of a season,” stated Jarvis before a practice last week. “You see a water slap, but what most people forget are the 6 a.m. practices, lifting weights, all the laps. This part of the year is definitely the darkest part of the year. It’s a state of mind, a process. I’d love to just get it out of the way, but that’s not realistic to just assume I can start where I left off.”

Jarvis is chasing Brittani Grove’s 100 freestyle record of 55.05, set at the Northern Lakes Conference championships in 2012. It’s the only swim record NorthWood has put on its record board since Jarvis was able to walk as a toddler, the last sets all going up when the great Julie Warnken set the standard in eight different events at NorthWood in 1998 and 1999.

Jarvis was approaching Grove’s record, working for a 55.88 at the NLC finals last January, then posting a 56.65 in the sectional prelims before clocking 55.27 in the sectional finals. Was it a reach, a slow turn, jitters? Where did the pursuit fall short?

“Look, you are racing against the clock, and you can’t do anything about the person next to you,” said Jarvis, who also claimed a fourth-place finish in the 200 free at the NLC. “I try to tell my teammates that and try to use that for myself. All I can do is what I can do. I’m just thankful I have more opportunities to get a shot at the record.”

A quality cross country and track distance runner, Jarvis comes into the swim season fresh off a semi-state appearance in cross country and has helped NorthWood find rare air as a school. The Lady Panthers checked out of the fall season leading the NLC All-Sports race, the first time in some time, if ever, NorthWood has led through the fall. Jarvis noted her cross country success, and that of those around her coming into the swim season from other sports, should help the program make strides. As well as help her in that record board pursuit.

“It sounds cheesy, but you really just have to take it one day at a time,” Jarvis said with a smile. “You have to realize that for the next two and a half months my alarm is going to go off at 5 in the morning. You can’t think about it. You have to keep that discipline. I’m going to go home, get my homework done, make my coffee for the next day and do it.

“I’ve always been able to maintain a more spartan lifestyle than the average teenager. For me, it’s about grinding out one day at a time.”

Coach Tim Stutsman, whose daughter, Erica, ran with Jarvis at the cross country semi-state, has seen Jarvis’ determination flourish all fall. He can only expect to see that same drive continue into the pool.

“Undeniably, Kate’s work ethic is her success,” Stutsman said. “She has been a captain in the past due to this. When I have young kids come into the program, she is what I want them modeling their work ethic and passion for the sport off of. She always has a can-do attitude. She has a strong drive and passion to succeed and to see her team mates do well. That passion is contagious.

“If we have a voluntary practice, she is the one asking all of the girls to show up with her and work on some aspect of their swimming.  All of this willingness and self sacrifice is the reason for her success in the pool, along with a strong spiritual background, and the healthy support of her family.”

Jarvis and her NorthWood team open up Tuesday at Knox in a trio with Bremen.