College Recruit Rankings Profile: Five-Star Steven Cebertowicz, Class of 2008

PHOENIX, Arizona, June 9. STEVEN Cebertowicz, a five-star recruit from the Class of 2008, comes to us from Milwaukee, Wis., where he swims for Nicolet High and Schroeder YMCA. Cebertowicz has signed to compete for the University of North Carolina next fall.

Cebertowicz, who took over his own profile in the Swimming World College Recruit Rankings powered by Take Your Marks, has a pair of Olympic Trials cuts in the 50 free (23.47) and 100 free (51.53).

Before settling on North Carolina, Cebertowicz also took visits to California, Minnesota, Purdue and Wisconsin.

Where and when did you start swimming?
That's a good question. I know the where, but not the when. The where was the Schroeder YMCA in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. The when could have been when I was 3, 4, maybe 5? After swim lessons at the Y, I joined the North Shore Swim Club and ended up quitting when I was 8. So, I guess you could say I restarted swimming when I was entering high school at the age of 14, and afterwards went back to where it all started; the Schroeder YMCA…sorta. I didn't really go to practice until just before my junior year when I made the jump to year-round training.

Who would you name as the most influential person and coach in your swimming career?
The most influential person in my swimming career happens to be a fellow swimmer and a coach. Adam Mania trains with us as well as coaches us. It's great to be able to race an Olympian in practice and have him turn around and say "this is where you messed up," and be able to not only explain what you need to change, but why. He's also helped keep swimming in an enjoyable perspective, which is something that is important. A lot of people get too serious about swimming. Adam has helped keep that balance of doing the best you possibly can, but having fun while you're working for it.

What, to this point, is your best moment in the sport and why?
I'd have to say that the most satisfying and happiest moment I've had in swimming was signing to North Carolina. I couldn't be more satisfied with my decision. It also meant that the recruiting process was finally over, which was superfluously long for me, and that I could finally get back to concentrating on swimming.

Walk us through a day of practice:
We don't really have two similar days of the week when it comes to times and types of practices. So I'll pick my favorite day. Sunday.

10:50 a.m. wake up
11:05 a.m. arrive for 11 a.m. practice – Sundays are, I think, the only days I don't get yelled at for being late…sometimes.
2 p.m. leave practice
2:20 p.m. Nap time.

The practice: Sundays are generally more laid back. The total yardage is usually around 2-3,000. So, why am I there for 3 hours? Well, like I said, Sundays are more laid back. About a thousand warm-up, some BEAN, a little sprint work with stretch bands, tennis balls, start and turn work, some partner pulls, and a little more frolicking. Then it's hot tub time.

What is your favorite set?
3x through:
10×25 sprint on :30
100 easy

What is your least favorite set?
We have a set called the "Trash Compactor." The clock starts out at 2:20 and counts down to 0. The goal is to swim as far as you possibly can before it hits 0. When it does hit 0, the time decreases by :02, so it would look like 2:20, 2:18, 2:16, etc. Let's say you start out doing a 250 and you make it down to 2:16 and you miss the interval, then you drop a 25 and keep going until it gets tight again. Ultimately, it's about an hour and a half of constant sprinting. I didn't think it could get any worse until our coach, Dave Anderson, had us do three of them; one swim free, one kick, one swim stroke.

What are your short-term goals?
Beat Josh Baseheart in a standup set.

What are your long-term goals?
The majority of my goals right now are all long term. This summer, I hope to final at the U.S. Open, and to help win a relay and maybe an individual title at Juniors in Minneapolis. Next year at North Carolina, I hope to help qualify a relay to NCAAs and compete individually.

Why did you choose North Carolina as your college?
I'm assuming good basketball isn't a sufficient answer here. In short, I was looking for a great combination of athletics and academics. I guess I'm not very original with that explanation. I think it's uncontested that North Carolina has great academics. But one of the good things about signing late is that I could kind of take a little peak into the future. North Carolina is a rising program. Last year, they had an incredible recruiting class, and they got eighth this year.

When I tell people that I chose North Carolina, a lot of them raise their eyebrows because people think that it's just a distance program. That's not entirely true. One thing that was really critical to my decision was relay potential. In the fall, they signed three mid-20 sprinters; Evan Reed, Brock Park and Brad Hamilton. What better way to complete a sprinting class than with a fourth?

I know it's going to be great to be able to push each other in practice, and they're going to be there for all four years of my eligibility. I also wanted to come into a program where I can do more than just be there my first year. While it can be nice to train with some of the fastest sprinters in the world at a program like Auburn, we've only got four years to make a difference.

All that aside, Chapel Hill is probably one of the most amazing places I've visited in this country, only to be complemented by the coolest team I've visited. To throw the cherry on top, the weather is infinitely better than Wisconsin's nine-month winter.

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