Boys swimming: Born to swim

Steve Virgen

BELMONT SHORE - If you think Aaron Peirsol has decided to compete

as a member of the Newport Harbor High swim team to have fun ... think

again.

Sure, the happy-go-lucky 18-year-old who broke the world record in the

200-meter backstroke March 20 is planning to enjoy his senior season. But

make no mistake, (obviously) Peirsol is swimming for the Sailors to win.

“It’s not all about fun,” Peirsol said at the preliminaries of the CIF

relays at Belmont Plaza Thursday, the first high school competition of

his senior year. “I don’t come in here simply for fun, or just to goof

around. I’ve come here to help these guys out and be part of the team.

I’ll want to break a record, and when I’m in a relay I want to help us

win titles. But, yeah, I want to go out there and have fun, and not worry

about too much else.”

To sum it up, Peirsol is in his prime, winning a 2000 Olympic silver

medal, breaking the world record in the 200-meter backstroke and breaking

three world short-course records. Yet, when it comes to high school

competition, Peirsol is in his element.

He traveled to Minnesota in March, then to the World Short-Course

Championships in Russia last week, but Newport Beach and Newport Harbor

High is where his home is. So, you know where his heart is.

“(Newport Harbor), this is where I’ve always wanted to be,” Peirsol

said in response to a question: Did you ever think to attend Irvine High?

(He trains there with the Irvine Novaquatics club). “(Newport Beach),

this is where I grew up. All of my friends are here. I’m a homebody. I

like to stay home.”

So, it makes sense: Three days upon returning from Russia, he was

poolside with teammates, his hair in its trademark scruffy state, a towel

wrapped around his waist, and a smile of contentment across his face.

“Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t miss this for anything,” said Peirsol,

perishing the thought of taking a break after his whirlwind within a

month.

For Peirsol and Newport Harbor, the best seems yet to come. It will

end with his turning of the tassel on his graduation cap, and then it’s

off to the University of Texas.

But before that, Peirsol, who owns five CIF Southern Section Division

I individual titles, is looking to take care of business. On the first

order of the agenda, he wants to help the Sailors win, and that means

today in a home Sea View League meet against defending league champion

Irvine.

Peirsol also has his sights set on breaking the CIF Division I record

in the 100-yard backstroke, 47.50 set by Woodbridge’s Derya Buyunkuncu in

1994.

Peirsol is aiming for his fourth straight CIF Division I title in the

100 back next month. He also possesses CIF Division I individual titles

in the 200 free, and the 200 individual medley, in which he holds the

record with a 1:49.02 set in 2000.

Peirsol’s quest began Thursday when he cruised with an easy effort and

helped three relay teams advance to the finals of the CIF Relays Monday.

Newport boys coach Jason Lynch expects CIF titles in the three events,

6x50 free (finished third in the preliminaries), 4x50 back (first) and

the 4x100 free (first).

“He definitely cruised this one because it’s prelims,” Lynch said. “He

knew how fast he needed to go. You’ll see some impressive times come

Monday. Peirsol will get serious. We’ll win.”

Lynch said the Sailors have a chance to finish third overall on

Monday, mainly because the help of Peirsol.

“He brings a lot of inspiration to the guys,” Lynch said of Peirsol’s

impact. “He excites them. They want to do well because he’s going to do

well. (Peirsol) enjoys this whole high school thing, because it’s less

pressure than what he’s used to. I think he has a lot of fun being out

here.”

Newport athletic director Eric Tweit acknowledged Peirsol’s senior

season as “a unique situation.”

“It’s more than him making an impact, because to me Aaron has kept it

all in perspective,” Tweit said in a phone interview. “He’s part of the

team. It’s not such an impact because everyone has expected him to be

here. That’s the way he’s done it the past three years. I don’t think

it’s such a big deal for him to come back. He’s just trying to be one of

the guys on the swim team. You talk to Aaron and he’s not any different

than any of our other athletes. And, that’s the way he wants it to be.”