St. X Team
- Thread starter coachjw
- Start date
BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
Carson is transferring to Sycamore in the 2nd semester and rumor has it he will swim for his school.
ZfishInMason
New member
Time to rewrite both the Sycamore and the GMC record books!
This young man is likely to break the team/conference record in any event he chooses to swim.
State records are going to fall too.
Best of luck to him!
This young man is likely to break the team/conference record in any event he chooses to swim.
State records are going to fall too.
Best of luck to him!
BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
No doubt. He is a great kid. I am glad he is going to do this although my son is a little concerned now. If you are going to be the best you better beat the best
BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
He is currently a 10th grader. He is 16 but I think he just turned 16 recently or he may just be getting ready to turn 16. Rumor in the swimming community is that he is transferring from x to sycamore the 2nd semester. he never swam for x so he should be eligible immediately.
CC Track Fan
Member
That is big news. Any reason why going to Sycamore? My guess is they will they let him practice with club team coach and St. X will not?
Not that it will have any impact on St. X winning another state championship.
Not that it will have any impact on St. X winning another state championship.
BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
So, the word I am getting is that Sycamore would let him practice with his club and he is just not happy at X. Also, it will let him compete during the high school season when there really is not much going on club wise. As an aside, he is a fantastic baseball player too. I would love to see him get back into baseball.
ZfishInMason
New member
You are correct CC Track Fan. He's enjoying a great deal of success swimming with the Mason Manta Rays under Ken Heis and doesn't want to jeopardize that training time as X requires. Sycamore will allow him to continue to practice with the Rays.That is big news. Any reason why going to Sycamore? My guess is they will they let him practice with club team coach and St. X will not?
Not that it will have any impact on St. X winning another state championship.
BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
Now I will say that X's practices are pretty rigorous. They are no joke and definitely challenge a swimmer's abilities. But you don't mess around with your training if you are already an Olympic Trials Qualifier at 14 years old. If I was X, I would have made an exception. By the way, This was known by the Foster family before Carson got there as his brother has never competed for X and he is the fastest breast stroker in the State. My understanding is that Carson is not happy at the school and that this is not a swimming decision. X is not a good fit for everyone. Anyway, I am looking forward to Carson swimming in the GMC championships as long is it is not the backstroke.
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BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
Well, he qualified for the Olympic trials in the 400 IM as a 14 year old so he is pretty good in the all the strokes. But, as luck would have it, I think it is the backstroke.
ZfishInMason
New member
Well...
100 Breast 56.50 (Summer Nationals cut)
100 Back 47.15 (Summer Nationals cut) - 48.23 won State last year and 47.65 is the ALL-TIME Ohio HS State Record by St X's Jayme Cramer
100 Fly 50.07 (Winter Jrs cut)
100 Free 44.98 (Winter Jrs cut)
So... I'd say backstroke is his best stroke followed by breaststroke
As was pointed out earlier... his strength is the IM
200 IM 1:43.79 (Summer Nats cut) - 1:48.94 won State last year and 1:46.58 is the ALL-TIME Ohio HS State Record by Moeller's Cooper Hodge
400 IM 3:44.16 (Summer Nats cut)
100 Breast 56.50 (Summer Nationals cut)
100 Back 47.15 (Summer Nationals cut) - 48.23 won State last year and 47.65 is the ALL-TIME Ohio HS State Record by St X's Jayme Cramer
100 Fly 50.07 (Winter Jrs cut)
100 Free 44.98 (Winter Jrs cut)
So... I'd say backstroke is his best stroke followed by breaststroke
As was pointed out earlier... his strength is the IM
200 IM 1:43.79 (Summer Nats cut) - 1:48.94 won State last year and 1:46.58 is the ALL-TIME Ohio HS State Record by Moeller's Cooper Hodge
400 IM 3:44.16 (Summer Nats cut)
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BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
As informed by said son this morning, Justin Fleagle is clocking in at low 48 right now but he swims D2 in the Columbus area. Oh well, my boy's goal is to finish in the top 8 at state with a sub 50. Not bad for a 16 year old but these other 2 are out this world. By the way, Carson's instagram account make the Sycamore transition official.
BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
Celina, check usa swimming website. He may not have swam for the high school yet because he went to NationalsIt's December 29, 2017
What school does Justin Fleagle go to?? Because there is nothing of him in Ohio Ranking Division II?
This is IUDOGS signing off.
Update: Fleagle is not swimming High school this year. His mom/coach told me a long time ago that she thought it was a waste of time. Maybe last year reinforced that thought.
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Given how swimming is such a big part of his life (understandably so) it is interesting that he chose to attend St X when his brother never swam for the school. They had to know the school's position on wanting to deviate from St X's swim team schedule/regime. I disagree with your opinion that St X should have made an exception for him. They have a long history of Olympic caliber swimmers who have come through the program. Why make a change for one kid?Now I will say that X's practices are pretty rigorous. They are no joke and definitely challenge a swimmer's abilities. But you don't mess around with your training if you are already an Olympic Trials Qualifier at 14 years old. If I was X, I would have made an exception. By the way, This was known by the Foster family before Carson got there as his brother has never competed for X and he is the fastest breast stroker in the State. My understanding is that Carson is not happy at the school and that this is not a swimming decision. X is not a good fit for everyone. Anyway, I am looking forward to Carson swimming in the GMC championships as long is it is not the backstroke.
ZfishInMason
New member
I agree... it was an interesting choice. Perhaps the quality of the academics or the healthy balance of the Jesuit approach to education was the reason. I'm sure they knew the rules regarding swimming but who knows... maybe they thought an exception was possible.Given how swimming is such a big part of his life (understandably so) it is interesting that he chose to attend St X when his brother never swam for the school. They had to know the school's position on wanting to deviate from St X's swim team schedule/regime. I disagree with your opinion that St X should have made an exception for him. They have a long history of Olympic caliber swimmers who have come through the program. Why make a change for one kid?
St Xavier swimming is also in the unique position (and I mean that literally... i'm unaware of any other athletic program in Ohio that has such a stranglehold on a single activity) that Carson could attend any other school in the state and it will have NO EFFECT on who wins state this year. It will be St. Xavier with or without him. Most programs (sports, music etc...) will make special exceptions if a true prodigy comes along that could elevate the program to new heights or make them more able to compete for a state championship. Such exceptions fall under the general idea of "changing with the times"... the competitive landscape shifts, programs need to make changes to the way they do things in order to adapt and survive/flourish.
This isn't the case for St. Xavier swimming. Yes, the program is monolithic but, as you correctly point out, its seemingly endless parade of elite/Olympic caliber swimmers allow it to remain so. No need to compromise or bend the rules when your current practices/resources are sufficient to ensure victory year after year.
It definitely will cause a shift in power in the GMC though. Along with freshman Eric Menchhofer, Sycamore now becomes much stronger than last year and may now be able to wrest the conference title away from Mason. Sycamore will also score much higher in elite-level meets (eg, districts, State) by adding such a threat to win in nearly any stroke/distance plus the boost to relays!
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BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
Sycamore won the men's GMC swimming championship 2 years ago so it won't be that big a change but Eric is a beast so Sycamore will be good for years. As far as X making an accommodation, it is true that they didn't have to but I think there has only been (3) 14 year olds make the Olympic trials in the 400 IM and one was a guy named Phelps. Be that as it may, my understanding is that Carson's was not an athletic decision but more of a social decision.
ZfishInMason
New member
"Sycamore won the men's GMC swimming championship 2 years ago so it won't be that big a change..."
To suggest Sycamore winning the conference isn't a big deal is false... The fact is Mason has won 3 of the last 4 and without Carson they're the favorite again this year. The Mason girls have won 10 years in a row. There's a reason Sycamore won't schedule Mason in dual meets anymore. Getting Carson is gigantic for the Aves program success.
"...Erik is a beast so Sycamore will be good for years.."
Sycamore is and always has been good... That's not the question. Beating Mason for the GMC title is the question. Erik and his younger brother are both really good... But expecting Mason won't have kids that can match up is wishful thinking.
As to your last point, Carson is brilliant but he's still a kid. No telling how great he'll become. My point is, he could be the next MP and X still doesn't need to bend on their traditional way of doing things... They're a virtual lock to win even if they don't have him and powerful, historical programs almost never change their ways when they don't have to.
To suggest Sycamore winning the conference isn't a big deal is false... The fact is Mason has won 3 of the last 4 and without Carson they're the favorite again this year. The Mason girls have won 10 years in a row. There's a reason Sycamore won't schedule Mason in dual meets anymore. Getting Carson is gigantic for the Aves program success.
"...Erik is a beast so Sycamore will be good for years.."
Sycamore is and always has been good... That's not the question. Beating Mason for the GMC title is the question. Erik and his younger brother are both really good... But expecting Mason won't have kids that can match up is wishful thinking.
As to your last point, Carson is brilliant but he's still a kid. No telling how great he'll become. My point is, he could be the next MP and X still doesn't need to bend on their traditional way of doing things... They're a virtual lock to win even if they don't have him and powerful, historical programs almost never change their ways when they don't have to.
BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
Look Zfish, we both know dual meets mean nothing. To talk about being afraid of scheduling a dual meet in swimming is simply silly. I will say it now. Sycamore should be the favorite to win the GMC and that will be the third time in 6 years. How big a difference is that? That is not dominance but so is Mason winning 3 out of 6 years not dominance. X's program is a little arrogant. Well earned arrogance but still arrogant. They could have made an accommodation but chose not to and still won a mythical national championship. Enough said. Should be a good GMC meet and on the men's side it should be very interesting.
Carson Foster swam yesterday at the Larry Lyons Invitational with St. X (Ursaline on the women's side), Centerville, Sycamore, and Beavercreek. The invite only had 4 teams, but it was a heck of a meet as all four of those schools have state-caliber programs. He swam a 1:50 in the IM and a 51.1 in backstroke. More impressive were his relays, however, leading off the 400 relay with a 46.1 and the medley with a 23.38 backstroke split.
BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
Considering everybody is coming off of holiday training and he must be exhausted (I know my guys are pretty much just eating, swimming and snoozing), those times are pretty darn impressive.
Frankie 5 Angels
New member
How was/is Carson able to compete in a USA meet after he already competed in a high school meet especially since this wasn’t a USA national meet (waiver?)
BASESWIMPARENT
Active member
He got a waiver according to our high school coach. It was a pretty common practice when there were high school Olympians in Ohio.