One Eagle Swims Alone

By Paula Shipman on Feb 24 2010.  Email This Article

Kevin on the pool deck receiving his 7th place medal from Lafayette High School Swimming Coach Harold Baker

Last Thursday, February 18, one, lone, Clarke County High School swimmer embarked on a state swim meet adventure with his coaches. Kevin Broderick, an outstanding athlete by all measures, qualified for this opportunity in the 100-yard Breast Stroke event. During the 2009 season he set the CCHS record in the event with a time of 1:07:78. He was newly shaven which is part of a swimming tradition before major meets–the facial hair goes along with that of the legs, arms and chest. Though some choose to shave their head, Kevin opted for a very short, but not quite bald style.
Together the three travelled the nearly five hours to Norfolk, Virginia and the campus of Old Dominion University. He was relaxed, poised and witty. On Friday morning Kevin was up early and arrived at the Old Dominion University pool for his warm-up swim. While waiting, he met some other boys that he swims with for the Winchester Gators (a year-round swimming club based at Jim Barnett pool in Winchester). It was clear a level of camaraderie existed between them even though many of them go to different high schools in the local area.

Friday was the day of Preliminary Events. Swim meets are conducted much as track meets. Competitors qualify for their spot by time. In swimming, the faster your seed time, the better your location in the pool. The swimmers in the center lanes have the best times while the lanes on the outside are assigned to slower swimmers. Broderick was seeded 10th in the preliminaries. His standing placed him swimming in the next to last heat of the event. He was noticeably tense as his event and heat approached. Just before he walked to the blocks to await his heat, one of his coaches put a cell phone to his ear. A smile broke out on his face, and the tension fled his form as he listened to his team perform their “Quack” chant, encouraging him all the way even though they’d had to stay behind in Berryville.

A calm young man approached the starting blocks. He mounted and waited for the starter to call, “Take your marks,” before lowering his head. With the sound of the buzzer and flash of the light he was off. He swam brilliantly, leading his heat. He’d never had such a swim! When the heat was done, not only were his coaches and family joyous, but the entire region was abuzz with talk of his swim. In one, single swim Broderick had dropped his own best time by nearly three full seconds! Such a thing is seldom done by his caliber of swimmer. Kevin had swum his personal best time of 1:00:99. He had seeded himself 4th in Boy’s 100-yard Breast Stroke in the state.
Kevin has been swimming competitively since he was 11 or 12 years old. He used to go swimming with his dad in Purcellville. They would race but Kevin said it wasn’t long before he needed a bit more of a challenge. He first found a challenge with the Clarke County Piranhas (the Clarke County Parks and Rec summer swim club—still swimming with the team, he also helps with coaching of the younger swimmers). In recent years he also swam with the Loudoun County club team, Snow and as mentioned, currently swims with the Winchester Gators. “When tomorrow is over, I don’t have to swim anymore. I can take a break,” he said with a smile on his face after seeing his seed time.
Dawn broke on a sunny Saturday morning in Norfolk. Only the top sixteen swimmers in each event were invited back to swim again. Clusters of girls and boys converged on the Old Dominion University swimming pool for their chance at glory. Again, Broderick was among them. There was even more energy in the air and excitement abounded on the deck. The air was warm and moist. It would be a long morning as one heat followed the next with two separate breaks for awards before Event 19 Boy’s 100-yard Breaststroke. There were warm-up sessions of which he took full advantage.

Finally, it was time. He left the pool deck in order to enter in parade form as the sounds of a popular rock song streamed through the speakers.
The race was over in a mere minute. Kevin finished the heat 7th in the state. A still happy young man pulled himself tiredly from the pool. He was greeted there warmly by fellow swimmers and coaches. He smiled a gentle half-smile and said, “I knew the worst I could do was leave in 8th. I’m not in 8th.”

When day was done and all awards had been presented, Kevin was asked if there’s anything he’d like to include in the article for Clarke Daily News. His face lit up with a broad grin and he turned to Coach (Carol) Marshall, placed a hand on her shoulder and said, “I owe it all to Coach Marshall!”

Posted by Paula Shipman on Feb 24 2010. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.