Upper Dublin captured its second consecutive District One AAA title. Both coaches and swimmers are working hard to create an atmosphere of excellence that will extend well into the future.
By Mary Jane Souder
There’s no substitute for hard work.
The Upper Dublin boys’ swim team is living proof of that. The Flying Cardinals recently rolled to their second consecutive District One AAA title and head into this week’s PIAA meet with decidedly high hopes.
That success didn’t just happen. It was the result of hard work and a disciplined training regiment.
“The key to any success is about how much the kids themselves buy in and not just buy in to what we as coaches are preaching but buy into the idea of being a team and working with each other and supporting each other,” coach Geoff Scheuer said. “This is a team that definitely did that this year, without a doubt.
“That started last spring really. We just had a group of kids who really came together as a tremendous training group and put everything they had into every day together. When you have that kind of thing going on, great things can happen. That really is the key to any success.”
The Cardinals were golden at the district meet. Their 200 medley relay team (Bob Bantley, Eric Jensen, Michael Jensen, Cooper Tollen) and their 400 free relay (Bantley, Jensen, Jensen and Ian Flynn) both finished first.
Individually, Bantley and Eric Jensen were one-two in the 200 free, and Bantley, named the meet’s Outstanding Swimmer, also finished first in the 100 free. Freshman Michael Jensen won silver in the 100 free and gold in the 100 butterfly while Flynn finished fifth in the 100 fly.
Christopher Devlin struck gold in the 200 IM and took silver in the 500 free. Eric Jensen was third in the 100 back while teammate Joe Starosta was seventh and also qualified for states. Tollen was third in the 100 breast, and Flynn captured bronze in the 200 IM.
If there was pressure going in as the defending champs, the swimmers certainly weren’t feeling it.
“I don’t think there was any pressure on us at all,” Eric Jensen said. “We were all really excited for this year in particular.
“It’s a great group of seniors, and we had very high expectations for this season. Districts is a big step for us on the way to states and reaching all of our goals. It was great to have the entire team buy into training really hard together and racing fast at meets.”
“The team really came together beginning last spring and summer,” Flynn said. “Everyone started training and pushing each other to reach their goals and get better. There was no pressure being the defending champions. We just had to go out and do what we could do and see what happens.”
The commitment of the swimmers to their training program and to each other could well be what defines this team.
“I think it’s just the group of guys we have,” Flynn said. “Everyone pushes each other in practice to go faster in sets.
“If somebody is slacking off at practice, you get them back into the mental sharpness of the meet and the mindset to do better.”
“I definitely think it stems from the top,” Bantley said. “If the kids who are leading the team are putting in the effort, I think everyone else will follow in their footsteps.
“If the guys who are really succeeding are putting everything into it and everyone can see they’re doing a great job, that’s one of the main drives of the team. If the leaders pave the way, everyone will follow through.”
And this year’s squad is loaded with outstanding leaders – most notably the seniors - who refused to let this team get off course.
“The hardest part of being a team of a high caliber it staying focused and making sure that day in and day out we keep striving for new and better goals,” Bantley said. “To not really get content with where we are but to always want more, to always have a fire burning and always wanting to reach the next step of athleticism, whether it’s making it to districts, winning districts, making it to states, winning states or even going further than that. It’s always wanting to be better than you already are.”
The bond that exists between this year’s squad is unmistakable.
“We’re with each other five or six hours a day,” Starosta said. Some of us have classes together in school, so you have to get to know these people.
“Some of these guys I’ve known since first grade. Swimming is a sport where you really get to know people. At the walls during practice, you motivate each other, you keep each other going by telling jokes and trying to keep everyone’s spirits up. If swimming wasn’t fun, we wouldn’t be doing it for 14-17 years.”
“We’re all close friends,” Eric Jensen said. “I think that’s part of the key that makes us very successful as a team.
“We’re all real close, and we look forward to training hard together. We look forward to working hard because we’re doing it together. That’s something that’s definitely unique about this team as opposed to any other team I’ve been part of.”
And what exactly do swimmers do for fun?
“Sleep,” Eric Jensen said.
“Sleep and eat,” Starosta said. “We go out to eat a lot.”
They also have found a way to make training fun.
“Our dry land program turns into a game where it’s kind of like Cross Fit,” Flynn said. “It kind of becomes our fun time.”
They also derive enjoyment from the competition, and coming as no surprise, they get some of their best competition from each other.
“The competition is fun for us,” Starosta said. “Bobby and Jensen were one and two in districts. The only way you get fast is if you swim faster than whoever is in the lane next to you.
“That’s true even in practice. Swimming is all about beating the person who’s next to you, and a lot of times it ends up being your teammate. You have to beat them in practice if you want to beat anyone at the meet.”
“At the end of the day, you’re always friends,” Bantley added. “But when you’re racing, sometimes your best friend can be your biggest drive.
“I know I’ve had some of my best races against Eric or Michael - or Ian in the IM. You try your hardest against your best friends just because you know they hold you to a higher standard than others do, even the coaches at times.”
The Flying Cardinals will take seven swimmers to this week’s state meet.
“I’m very excited for what we can do at states,” Flynn said. “The potential we have at states is tremendous.”
“We’re very excited to be fully rested and ready to race as hard as we can at Bucknell,” Eric Jensen added. “We have very high goals for this team going into states. We’re very excited.”
The legacy this year’s team will leave behind will be difficult to match.
“It’s exciting to go into the last meet knowing that we’re probably going to be one of the best or the best teams that has gone from Upper Dublin and hopefully score the highest Upper Dublin ever has at the state level,” Starosta said.
Scheuer hopes this is just the beginning of a tradition of excellence at Upper Dublin.
“I try to go to my fair share of coaches clinics and learn from the best in the nation that are out there, and one thing you always hear – you have to create an atmosphere of excellence,” he said. “That’s something we are really trying to do here. We really kicked that into high gear starting last year.
“When you are able to do that, it pulls everybody up. As soon as you step on the deck, you know – I’m here to be as great as I can be. This year, more than any other, I think everybody stepped up. I think we’re coming out of this season with a lot of changed minds in terms of what is possible which will ultimately prove to be the biggest success we can get out of this year.”
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