Support for the seniors — especially BG’s Rodriguez
A special thing happens at the Illinois high school boys swimming state meet.
Yes, the competition is always intense, and the athletes in today’s preliminaries at Evanston figure to add their own unique spin to it all.
But beyond that, there’s also a camaraderie unique to the sport on full display. Certainly there are individual rivalries, and when it’s time to race, those are at least half the fun.
But there’s also a genuine appreciation from those fans packed into the stands, and between the competitors themselves — especially the seniors. These are swimmers who have been racing on another for about the last 10 years, and Saturday’s finals are their last chance at a state title, one final dip in the pool of young adulthood before the deeper currents of college and careers take hold.
One of these seniors — Buffalo Grove’s Ian Rodriguez — figures to have plenty of support from Chlorine Nation this weekend. For his voyage has seen more that its fair share of choppy waters.
Rodriguez finished seventh in the state last year in the 100-yard backstroke, but opted out of that event this year to take a crack at the 100 breaststroke. His time in last week’s sectional makes him the 13th seed in that race, and he’s the No. 8 seed in the 200 IM.
Rodriguez’s qualifying times were produced without the benefit of a performance-boosting shave-and-taper; only the elite swimmers can save this step for the state meet and still be assured of qualifying for it. So top-six finishes are well within reach for him in both his individual races.
His high school coach, Jamie Klotz, marvels at the positive development he’s seen from Rodriguez in a four-year span.
An accomplished age-group swimmer from a very young age, Rodriguez was only lukewarm about continuing with swimming as he entered BG. He needed to be convinced by his mom that the high school experience was somethng he needed to try. And thought he did join the team, Rodriguez was having trouble maximizing his talent in his freshman and sophomore years. He certainly showed great promise, though, and did qualify for the state meet as a sophomore.
Klotz says it was simply a case of Rodriguez not having the maturity needed to reach the highest level. The coach now marvels at the poise and confidence exhibited by the same swimmer, and an arc of personal development that’s stunning.
By the end of Rodriguez’s junior season, after a season of consistent training followed by a sterling performance at the state meet, it was obvious he’d cleared the maturity hurdle.
And make big progress on another front as well.
Rodriguez stutters. Various speech therapies have yielded excellent progress, but clearly this is someone who faces more challenges than your average athlete.
From afar, you’d never guess. Rodriguez is completely at ease with his peers and coaches, outgoing, friendly and sporting a perma-grin on the deck at meets. At last weekend’s Stevenson sectional meet, just moments before the 100 breaststroke, he loosened the mood and got smiles from the Jacobs competitors flanking him on both sides. The good vibe seemed to carry through, as the entire heat qualified for the state meet.
A remarkably diverse swimmer, Rodriguez has let his performances do the talking this season. He’s virtually re-written the program’s record board and probably could have qualified for the state meet in any of the individual events.
Klotz says it’s been very helpful that Rodriguez comes from a swimming-focused family. Two sisters — Erin, a former BG standout now competing at Illinois, and Angela, who graduated last spring — paved the way. Supportive and understanding parents Fernando and Noreen also made a key difference for Ian, in so many ways.
“I’m lucky,” says Klotz, “to have shared time with him and his family.”
Naturally, those close to him will watch Rodriguez race this weekend. And it can only help that this year, Rodriguez has plenty of Bison company on deck at the state meet. Senior Jon Mass qualified in two events, junior Matt Schulstad in one and senior Julian Vasquez will get things going in Friday morning’s diving session. BG also qualified two relays with Ryan Chlopowicz and Nick Poirer swimming legs; the medley relay has an honest shot at scoring points.
Irrespective of those outcomes this weekend, Rodriguez’s future in swimming is settled. Like most of the state’s elite seniors, he’s earned a scholarship and will compete next year at Michigan State.
If you’re a swimming fan and happen to be at Evanston this weekend, I recommend you cheer for all the seniors — a salute to their perseverance and achievement.
And maybe just a little bit louder for Ian Rodriguez.
Don’t worry — you’ll have plenty of company.
agabriel@dailyherald.com