The Shao sisters, Vivian and Sophie, have a lot going for them, and it doesn’t begin or end in the pool, where both are two of the best performers on the Foxes’ girls team.
“Both girls are multitalented, exceptional, hard-working girls,” says swim coach Dan Taylor of the sisters, who also hold excellent academic records and are accomplished pianists. “They have phenomenal attitudes, bring a lot of energy to the team, and strive for perfection in everything they do.”
Rising to the Top
Vivian, a junior, and best-known for her freestyle events, went to WPIALs and states last year as a member of the school record-breaking 200 medley team that placed 10th at states. She also swam on the 400 free relay team that advanced to PIAAs, and she was a WPIAL individual qualifier in the 100 and 200 free and 200 IM events. So far, Vivian has qualified for the 2020 WPIAL championships in the 200 free and 200 IM.
“She is a key component for us and a great team member,” adds Coach Taylor. “I can put her anywhere and rely on her to do a very good job.”
Outside of high school swimming, Vivian participates in USA Swimming competitions and is hoping to do well in that organization’s upcoming sectionals. USA Swimming times can be used as an additional way to qualify and seed swimmers for WPIALs.
When she’s not in the pool, Vivian, whom her sister describes a more outgoing and having a lot of friends, enjoys her gig as a piano accompanist for Pittsburgh Youth Ballet rehearsals. She also has accumulated more than 300 hours of volunteer work at the Veteran Affairs Hospital in O’Hara Twp., and just added UPMC St. Margaret as a new site to benefit from her warm, outgoing personality.
But, first and foremost, Vivian is stellar in the classroom. An AP Scholar who just got a perfect score on all of the ACT subtests, Vivian loves just about everything pertaining to Science, Engineering, and Math (STEM program). She has won honorable mentions from national computing and tech organizations and is part of a robotics team at Carnegie Mellon University. Even before her junior year, she already completed summer internships at two tech startups.
“Keeping myself busy is the most motivating thing I’ve done for myself,” Vivian says.
Sophie Off to Fast Start
Before swimming took precedence, Vivian and Sophie also danced, but Sophie gave it up before Vivian. Since then, Sophie has worked her way up to become an elite swimmer. Just a freshman, in one of her first meets, Sophie broke the school record in the 100 butterfly – probably the most difficult of all strokes – with a commanding time of 55.28. The previous record was 56.67 and held by Josyln Filo (2017). Coach Taylor says Sophie also will be a big part of the 200 medley and 400 free relay teams, and swim in the 200 IM, an event that Zoe Skirboll won at PIAAs last season. (Zoe is not swimming for the Foxes this season because she is training for the Olympic Trials to be held in the spring.)
To date, Sophie has qualified for WPIALs in the 100 fly, 200 IM, and 100 breast, and Coach Taylor believes she has a shot of winning or placing very high in the 100 fly at the 2020 PIAA championships.
“My goal is to win states in the 100 fly, but it’s going to take a lot to get there,” says Sophie, who began swimming when she was five-years-old because, as younger siblings often do, she wanted to follow in her older sister’s footsteps. “For some reason, I find it surprisingly easier than other strokes, but I still want to work on my underwaters a lot and work even harder.”
Her competitiveness and talent have qualified her to participate in the national junior circuit. She competed at an event last month and learned a thing or two while she was there.
“I went to Winter Junior Nationals at the beginning of December,” Sophie says. “It was an eye-opener for me to see such hardworking people go so fast. It made me realize what I need to work on and test how much further I can go.”
Beyond the water, Sophie’s goals also include attaining excellence in the classroom, although she says, “Vivian is much smarter than I am.” Not true, says Vivian. “She just isn’t old enough to learn what I have.”
There’s nothing like a sister bond, where each supports the other in every way possible. For Sophie, it’s Vivian’s all-around talent and ability to juggle so many activities at once.
“Vivian inspires me to do things outside of swimming. I really admire her for how she can balance everything. She handles it very well,” Sophie says.
Vivian adds, “Sophie is very modest. She also balances swimming and school very well, and the level she has reached in swimming is something I’ll never get to. But, I love that I get to brag about her all the time.”