October 12, 2000
For Immediate Release
Contact: Evelyne Girardet
(312) 573-4646


The Latin School's Sister Act

While Venus and Serena Williams have taken the tennis world by storm, The Latin School of Chicago's own sister act is making a splash at area swim meets this season. Katherine and Elizabeth Paglini, two Upper School students from Chicago's Northwest Side will likely lead the school's 14-member team to the state swimming championships in November.

Katherine, 17, a junior who transferred to The Latin School of Chicago this year from Mother Guerin, is nationally ranked, and finished in the upper half of the backstroke events at the Olympic Trials in August. She is currently considered to have the fastest backstroke in Illinois for her age group. Meanwhile, sister Beth, who just turned 15 and is a freshman, has recently made her mark by finishing with impressive times at several state qualifying events and placing first in the 14 and under 200 meter individual medley race at the Zonal meet in Minnesota where she represented Illinois.

The sisters started working with Latin swim coach Celeste Laub-Norman about six years ago when she was coaching a club for the Chicago Park District. To continue training with Laub-Norman, who is in her third year at Latin, they followed her to the School this fall. Laub-Norman says she sees bright futures for both girls. "If Katie continues training like she is now through the rest of her high school career and in college, she has a good chance of being on the Olympic team in the future," she said. As Beth has also begun out-swimming her opponents at major meets, her ambition to win has increased, Laub-Norman says. "She is developing a similar commitment and focus to her sister. She is very young and has a great deal of potential."

Although Katie is a role model for Beth, Laub-Norman says she tries to avoid fostering a sibling rivalry by ensuring that the girls swim different races. Katie will likely swim in the individual medley and backstroke and Beth in the 200 and 500 freestyle in the state series next month.

For more information about the Paglini sisters, please contact Evelyne Girardet, assistant director of public relations, (312) 573-4646.