Glenbrook North boys swimmers top Glenbrook South in dual meet
Glenbrook North boys swim coach Jarod Schroeder and Glenbrook South coach Keith MacDonald go way back, dating to the 1990s at Northwestern, where Schroeder was a U.S. National Team member with the Wildcats' club team and MacDonald was a program assistant.
Now they are coaching neighboring programs.
This season Schroeder's Spartans are a veteran group stocked with state experience. The coach hopes that translates to results at the Lake Forest sectional Feb. 18 and a week later at the Illinois High School Association state meet in Westmont.
MacDonald's Titans often finish top-10 at state, most recently earning a third-place trophy in 2020 and, during the COVID season of 2020-21, an Illinois Swimming & Diving Association title.
Their programs obviously are rivals, you could hear it in each squad's cheers during the 400-yard freestyle relay that concluded their dual meet Jan. 13 at Glenbrook North.
The Glenbrook North varsity won the competition 123-63, but there didn't seem to be a whole lot made of that outcome.
As MacDonald said, “there's a whole lot of respect” between the two programs.
Based on comments from several of the swimmers on deck, there's also a whole lot to like about these boys' attitudes.
Like Glenbrook South junior Tim Cho, who won the 100-yard butterfly at 53.08 seconds and joined James Grayes, Eric Rabinovich and Noah Chen in a winning 200 medley relay.
Cho flat-out admitted that as a sophomore he was on his own program, not necessarily MacDonald's. He's since seen the light.
“I was really immature, I wasn't really listening to him at all, trying to do my own thing. This year I have my head in the game more and I'm paying attention, and I think I'm improving pretty quickly,” Cho said.
He's put on about 20 pounds since last season but believes his willingness to be coachable has had more of an impact than any added strength.
“I feel like the mental aspect of it outweighs the physical,” Cho said.
“I think (it's) through better technique and putting some more effort into practice.”
It was a thought shared by even the best athlete at the pool, based on state results.
Glenbrook North sophomore Matthew Yuan placed third in IHSA diving last year in Westmont, behind two seniors. But from across the pool Schroeder could see he was having trouble with his “hurdle” — the final bound before leaving the board.
Though Yuan's winning 290.75 points were more than 88 above his closest competitor on Friday, he knew he had work to do.
“I have to keep my balance. I occasionally lean to the left or right and then I fall off (center). And today was one of those days,” he said.
“I'm focusing on that, I have to get it more consistent, got to keep it centered, not fall over, not go back short. Just keep it right on.”
Right on.
Schroeder, a former nine-year Northwestern men's head coach whose experience includes coaching the New Trier Swim Club and also the University of Maryland, likes Yuan's makeup.
“Especially as a freshman last year, a lot of kids go to a state championship meet and are a little bit intimidated by the atmosphere, but he didn't let it faze him at all.”
If Glenbrook South freshman Noah Chen was affected by the talent surrounding him at Glenbrook North, it didn't show in the results.
Chen won the 200 individual medley in 1:57.60, and by .12 seconds edged Glenbrook North's Evan Gitlevich to win the 100 breaststroke in 59.42, both lifetime bests.
“I'm kind of intimidated by their size, because I'm a little small. But I use it to my advantage to motivate me to swim faster in the water,” Chen said.
A swimmer since he was 6 years old, Chen attributed his success to practice discipline.
“I give my 100 percent every single day,” he said.
Glenbrook North senior Ninjin Tugsbayar is an interesting case. After three years at Glenbrook South, he transferred to Glenbrook North before this school year. As such, he's been coached by both MacDonald and Schroeder.
It paid off in Friday's dual with personal-best victories in the 200 freestyle (1:47.42) and 100 backstroke (54.38), plus the lead leg on the Spartans' winning 400 freestyle relay (3:15.20) with Sam Gisiner, Josh Hyun and Makoto Majoros.
Majoros was the fastest in the pool this Friday, winning the 50 freestyle in 21.92 seconds, just ahead of teammates Jake Walker and Gabe Frank.
“I think moving to this new school, my coach, Coach Schroeder, he's amazing. He pushes me to be the best,” Tugsbayar said. “I'm surrounded by a bunch of great teammates, they push me to do my best every day. And also my coach from my other team (MacDonald), I'm here because of him. He built me to what I am now.
“I remember when I was younger, I used to be, like, sluggish at practice,” Tugsbayar said. “I was like, ‘Oh, this one's hard, I don't want to do it.' But now I realize that the harder stuff, if you push through, you'll get better from that. The things that you feel like you don't want to do are things that are going to make you the best.”