BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
Benjamin Luginski took six first place finishes when he competed in the Michigan Swimming 12 & Under State Championship meet at Saline High School in July.
Luginski, a seventh grader at Everest Academy, swam in six individual events – 50-yard freestyle, 50-yard backstroke, 50-yard butterfly, 100-yard IM and 200-yard freestyle for the top finishes which earned him the top 11-12 year-old swimmer in the state for 2021.

He also swam in two relay events helping his team finish second in the 200-yard medley relay and third place in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
“It was pretty good,” Luginski said about how he did during the meet. “I dropped in most of my times. Most of my times were also close to be able to go to nationals in the 13-year-old. I should be able to get to nationals next year.”
Luginski began swimming with Goldfish when his family decided to get a pool. He shared when he kept winning meets a family friend suggested a coach who is now his coach at Wyngate for short course summer. He swims with OLY in the winter.
He added he enjoys swimming right now and has watched the Summer Olympics and a lot on Michael Phelps and Caeleb Dressel.
“One of the things that keeps me motivated is wanting to reset expectations, be better than them and see what I can do, Luginski said. “A lot of motivation is friends and I am naturally pretty good at the sport right now. Keep doing good and see what I can achieve that’s what keeps me swimming to keep getting better and see what I can do.”
During the summer he spends time with friends. Though swim takes up most of his time he plays basketball at home to get better and plays video games.