On Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011, Upper Dublin senior Zach Brech was recognized for signing a letter of intent to swim at Towson University. Brech qualified for districts in every event except the back and breast. He advanced to states in the 100 fly and also was part of the 400 free relay and the 200 medley relay that went to states.
Zach Brech – Towson University (Swimming)
Major: Secondary Education-Mathematics
Final list of colleges: Towson, Bloomsburg, Shippensburg, Edinboro
Reasons for choosing Towson: “When I went for a visit, I liked the campus a lot. It wasn’t really big, and the classes weren’t big, but it had a lot of kids there. Outside of the school, there was a lot of stuff to do. I liked the team – when I went there, they were a lot of fun to be around, and I liked the coach as well. He was really cool.”
What was the progression that led you to swimming at the collegiate level? “I started swimming when I was 12. I made A champs that first year, and that sparked my interest in continuing swimming as long as I could. From the very beginning, I wanted to swim in college because I like swimming. It’s a way to clear my head from school.
“It’s a big relief to know where I’m going. I still have to focus on the grades, I’m a little more relaxed about them.”
Coach Lisa Fantini says: “Zach’s competitive edge is what sets him apart – he really likes to race, and he rises to the competition. He practices hard, and he has that competitive drive and internal motivation.
“When he first came out for the team, he had some other commitments. He was in the marching band, and that was in the fall, so that prevented him from coming in during the fall to get in shape. The past two falls he’s been able to get in and start training sooner, and he’s definitely seen the benefits.
“I think he’s still learning about some of the distance stuff, which all kids it takes awhile to figure out how to race those races. He’s got great snappy strokes – they’re fast and powerful. His muscles have developed, and he’s gotten taller and stronger. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy coaching guys – you see the physical growth, the swimming growth as well as some of the mental maturity growth.”
About Zach:
Favorite food: Overall, pasta and the sausage/egg/cheese sandwich from the Dresher Deli
Favorite movie: Finding Nemo
Favorite music: Hip Hop
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