New swimmers, good vibes

When the clock struck 12 last Saturday afternoon, SF State's swim team plunged into a new season of hope and competition. Their competitors, England's Royal Air Force, crept slowly into the back doors of the pool area nearly 20 minutes late, but by that time the SF State team had already started the meet and was too far ahead to look back.

Beginning the new swim season with more than 10 new members and a lot of talent, head coach Bruce Brown sees his team in a new light, but said he can't pinpoint how he did it.

Brown said this year started off as a bad recruiting season, then all of a sudden toward the end of spring semester there was a lot more interest and more people committed.

"It's just luck," he said. "We just went out, and anybody that responded and anybody we could call we just kept after them. It was just one of those years where the kids wanted to come here, and we certainly didn't stop them."

When the Royal Air Force finally joined the meet, SF State's men's and women's teams proved to be unstoppable. The Gator women came out on top, with a 97-46 win. The men's team had 118 compared to their competitor's 38.

Third year assistant coach Jamie Caplan said this year's team is different from some of the past swim teams.

"They swim better -- but beyond that, their attitude is much better," she said. "They're really positive, healthy, fun people. That makes the biggest difference."

Brown said the team has a lot of potential to be better this year, and it's because the chemistry of the team is unlike that of last year's.

"These kids get along much better, they work a lot harder, they follow instructions, and it's just a whole different attitude," he said.

He admits that with last year's team it was like pulling teeth, and they didn't get the response they wanted on a consistent basis. Now the team has changed.

One of the power people on the team, according to Brown, is returning senior Dee-Dee Dietz. The eight-year veteran swimmer competes in individual medleys, freestyles and distance events, but said she has other reasons for competing.

"I don't like the competition part that much, but I like getting the workout and the exercise," she said. "It's a really good exercise, and I like the social part of it."

Dietz aided her team in the win by touching the tile first in both the 200-meter individual medley and 500-meter freestyle.

Dismas Locaria, captain of the men's team, is returning this year with perseverance and a goal. Being part of a school record-breaking relay team last season was not enough for him. This year he said it's all about making it to the finals in the conference championships and just having a good year.

Locaria said the excitement of the race is what keeps him swimming.

"It's like when you're neck-and-neck, and you just pull ahead of that guy -- it's exhilarating," he said.

Locaria began his journey to conference when he placed first this weekend in the 200 freestyle, coming in at a time of 1 minute 55 seconds. He was also a part of the 200 freestyle relay team that placed first.

Freshman Yai Paomahanaka is described by Brown as just unbelievable, having the fastest times in the men's 200 freestyle and in the 100-meter breaststroke. Though a member of the team, he swam independent of SF State at the meet because of his eligibility status.

Newcomer Nicole Franchi swam in the winning 200 medley and freestyle relays. She also captured a win in the 100 backstroke.

The unifying theme for both team members and coaches seems to be that the team is definitely ready for serious competition this season, and it's going to happen because of hard work.

Dietz said they're not only going to be a more competitive team, but one that might take a couple of teams by surprise this season.

Although Brown said the meet was not real high pressure competition, he said he is flabbergasted about the outcome of the meet.

"We're working harder and still swimming fast, and we have great kids who really push themselves, and that's the key," he said. "We swam our own races and didn't worry much about other competitors."

The swim team will have a meet with Fresno State and CSU Northridge this weekend. The next home meet will be against San Jose State and Hayward on Dec. 8.

[ Golden Gater Online October 12, 1995 ]

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