Amy Fulmer is proof that you don’t need a private club or a personal coach to get attention.
Bellefontaine’s Amy Fulmer signs a letter of intent to swim at The Ohio State University during a ceremony Friday afternoon in the school’s distance learning center. Looking on are, from the left: her father Gregg Fulmer, Bellefontaine swimming coach Sharon Lewis and mother Pam Fulmer. (EXAMINER PHOTO | MATT HAMMOND)
Fulmer, who owns almost every swimming record at Bellefontaine High School, made her college decision official this week when she signed a letter of intent to compete for Ohio State. Her decision was celebrated during a signing ceremony Friday afternoon.
She became a Buckeye without leaning on a club team to get noticed by college coaches.
“The unique thing about Amy is she has done all of this through her high school team,” said Bellefontaine head coach Sharon Lewis. “A lot of the other swimmers (that signed with Ohio State) listed their club team when they signed. Amy listed Bellefontaine High School. She showed that you don’t have to go outside of your high school team to accomplish your goals.”
Fulmer said her first interaction with the Buckeyes came when she was competing with the Chiefs at the Southwest District Classic last winter. The Southwest District Classic attracts some of the best teams and swimmers in the state.
“They had a coach there and she saw me swim,” said Fulmer. “I was second in the 100 free and 50 free and I won the 100 backstroke. That’s when they started talking to me.”
Initially, she had a hard time believing her dream school was interested in her.
“It was a surreal feeling to get recruited by Ohio State,” she said.
Arkansas, Penn State and “a couple of other Big 10 schools” also reached out to Fulmer, but her decision was an easy one.
“Ohio State just has so much to offer,” she said. “There is no other school close by that can offer the type of training and academics that they do. It is amazing to have this opportunity.”
Read complete story in Saturday’s Examiner.
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