ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Casadie DiBetta was introduced to the sport of swimming at a very young age. Five to be exact.

And it didn’t take long for her to feel right at home in the water.

Basically tagging along for one of her older brother, Michael’s practices, Casadie wanted to jump in the water basically immediately.

“I wanted to jump in that day so badly,” Casadie recalled. “The second I started swimming, I loved it.”

Having to wait her turn, even somewhat reluctantly, it’s worked out since for Casadie, who is now one of the premier swimmers — regardless of class — in the Ohio Valley as she’s helping to lead the St. Clairsville Red Devils to an impressive start in the early season, which includes team a title at Wheeling Park and a runner-up finish at Dover.

Long before Casadie swam with a St. C. logo on her cap, she was making big waves. At the age of seven, she reached the podium at the prestigious “Eastern Zones” event.

“I’ve always been super competitive and had a drive for everything I’ve done,” Casadie said. “I’ve always loved trying new (events) and trying to improve on all of my times.”

Casadie, who also swims for Cardinal Aquatics YMCA team year around, has experienced all sorts of success on that circuit, but getting to work to achieve the same success in the high school ranks has been one of her long-time goals.

“Years,” Casadie admitted for how long she’s been waiting for the opportunity to swim for the Red Devils.

With high expecations surrounding her, coming into the season, Casadie admitted there were nerves.

Actually, there are always nerves as she pointed out she sometimes struggles to fall asleep the night before meets.

“I was just hoping to do my very best and not disappoint anyone,” Casadie said. “My first varsity meet was incredible. My hands were shaking before my first race because I was so nervous. All of my teammates were so supportive and everyone cheered.”

Casadie gave her fellow Red Devils a lot to cheer about that opening night at Wheeling Jesuit. She won three events and finished second in another. Ironically, none of the events truly fit her specialty.

She has added titles and meet records since, winning at Dover and Wheeling Park this past weekend. She won the 100 breast and 200 individual medley at Dover and captured the same titles at Park.

Similar to runners, swimmers are normally more concerned with times than place, especially early in the season. Casadie is already swimming really fast times. For instance, she swam a personal and school best mark of 1:05.90 in the breast. Glancing at OHSAA state meet marks from last season, DiBetta would have been on the doorstep of reaching the ‘A’ final.

“My goal for this season is to try my best to get as close as I can to making it to state in the 100 breaststroke,” Casadie said. “I would love to see us get one of our relay teams to state, too.”

Plenty of season remains before any tickets to the state meet can be punched with meets like the OVAC and Buckeye 8 still on the horizon shortly after the new year.

But, the fact that Casadie is already thinking about helping to get a relay team to state isn’t surprising. Though many believe swimming is an individual sport, she’s been all about the team concept.

And why not? When you consider the talent that St. C. boasts, including returning state qualifier Maggie Marody, who is just a sophomore.

“I am so proud of this team,” Casadie said. “Most of our biggest competitions come from our own teammates. Every single member of this team is really dedicated and hard working. We’re not only growing as swimmers, but we’re growing as people and friends.”

That thought process is exactly what scholastic sports are all about.