Based on surprisingly good performances by young athletes in the last school year, expectations have been ramped up this year for the St. Ed’s boys swim team.
“The boys varsity swim team is performing at a very high level. Last year we had two district champions, but we’re hoping for five or maybe six district champions for the boys this year,” says Gavin Ross, now in his fifth year as St. Ed’s Director of Aquatics and Head Coach of the boys and girls varsity swim teams.
Andrew Brown and Spencer Greaves claimed individual district titles as the boys team finished second overall in 2013. Brown won in the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke while Greaves claimed first in the 100 breaststroke.
The team qualified for the regional tournament where, against very stiff competition, the best showings were fifth-place finishes by Brown in the 100 backstroke and the foursome of Brown, Greaves, Coleman Kramer and Max Lindenthal in the 200 medley relay.
Performances like that raised hopes for this year and beyond. “We are a very young team,” Ross said. “We have a sophomore (Brown), three freshmen (Greaves, Kramer and Allan Ross) and an eighth grader (Tomas Botero) on our top relay teams.
“Brown is the captain of the boys team. He was sixth in the 100 freestyle at regionals last year as a freshman. I’m hoping that he really steps up and goes top three at regionals this year. He even has a change to go to states. His best club times are right up there to make the cut for states. He just has to perform at the right time.
“The same is true for Greaves. Spencer has already broken five school records this season. Last year at regionals he placed ninth in both the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley. I would like to see him finish in the top five this year. He has an outside chance to go to states if he can step it up in one or both of those events.
“And then of course we have Coleman Kramer. He has improved immensely since last season. If he can put it together at regionals, he, too, is knocking on the door of states in the 100 butterfly.”
The Pirates have an elite core of young swimmers ready to make a splash in the postseason, starting with the district meet on Oct. 29.
“This is my fifth year on the varsity team,” Brown said. “Our team is not as strong as last year. I feel that it took a little bit of time to get going this year. We lost our first two meets, but since then we have done well (6-3 through last week).
“Coach puts us in all over the board. This year he has been mixing us all around to see what we can potentially do at states. I believe we can do some damage at states, but you never know. Our relay teams should do very well, but it’s going to be tough if we make it that far.”
The 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams have inched very close to the times necessary to make it all the way to states. “This is big-time stuff,” Ross says. “We are looking to finish in the top three in those races at regionals this year.”
Most of the swimmers mentioned train in the pool year round with the varsity and club teams. A varsity partnership with the cross-country program has fortified distance running as part of a comprehensive training regimen that Ross had previously implemented for his club swimmers.
“These kids are young, in good shape, and they have a lot of energy,” Ross said. “We think it’s marvelous that some of them are doing two sports in the same season.”
The pool is open for practice in the early morning and after school. The truly dedicated find a way to get in as much work as they can. The 6:00 am start time will test your resolve.
“I won’t say it’s fun to get up that early,” Botero admitted. “But it definitely pays off. I’ve been swimming on the varsity since sixth grade. The goal of getting to states is something that I would like to see personally. I’ve worked very hard to get there.”
Kramer also gets up early for morning practices, citing a “desire to get better.” He fully embraces the role of team player.
“I’ve been swimming here for four years and my usual events are the 100 and 500 fly, but I am up to do whatever the coach wants. A lot of our swimmers are going to do really well in individual and relay events at districts. I’m looking for good things in our relays and whatever else the coach wants us to do.”