From left to right: Eliza Schmidt, Emma Popp, and Finlee Burns

Three girls who attend Adel-DeSoto-Minburn High School, who are apart of the swimming and diving team with Waukee will make an appearance tonight on Raccoon Valley Radio’s sports segment.

Junior Finlee Burns, plus seniors Emma Popp and Eliza Schmidt are suiting up for the 2025 swimming and diving season, which is a partnership between ADM and Waukee High Schools. Last season, Burns swam in the 50 meter freestyle, 100 meter butterfly, the 200 meter freestyle relay, and 400 meter freestyle relay. 

Popp was involved in the 200 meter individual medley, 200 meter medley relay, and the 100 meter backstroke, while Schmidt is a diver, who set the school record with 11 dives resulting in an overall score of 407.65. Burns shares that she does her best not to get too anxious prior to a meet.

“I just kind of be as calm as possible. If I’m stressed out about it, then I probably won’t swim as well.”

Schmidt states that she has a pretty vigorous pre-meet ritual she follows.

“I set out my area the same every single time. I put the same diving playlist on in my headphones and then I lay out my lunchbox. I always have half a Bubbl’r before I compete and then I finish it throughout the meet. And then I’m always coloring with crayons or pencils because if I break them, then I know I’m too stressed, and I need to chill out.”

The first meet is happening tomorrow versus Ankeny, being held at the Waukee Natatorium at 5:30pm. The full interview with Burns, Popp, and Schmidt will be on tonight’s Raccoon Valley Bank PM Sports Magazine on KDLS 94.3/99.7 FM and AM 1310 at 6pm. The show will also feature updates from Perry and Dallas Center-Grimes High Schools.