Morning Swim Show, Nov. 14: Pat O’Neill Keeping Winning Tradition Alive at Brophy

PHOENIX, Arizona, November 13. TODAY'S edition of The Morning Swim Show features a conversation with Pat O'Neill, the head coach of the successful Brophy Preparatory School's swim team that collected its 25th consecutive state title recently.

O'Neill, in his seventh season with the Broncos, talks about the team's heritage as state champions and how he feels at the beginning of each season when thinking about upholding the strong tradition of excellence at Brophy. O'Neill has a “fun and difficult” task of juggling various schedules with his swimmers' club coaches to make sure the athletes continue to do well under his care. Be sure to visit SwimmingWorld.TV for more video interviews.

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Tiffany Elias: This is the Morning Swim Show for Tuesday, November, 13, 2012. I am your host Tiffany Elias. Today's guest in the FINIS Monitor is Pat O'Neill, he is the Head Coach of the Jesuit School in Phoenix, Arizona, Brophy College Preparatory with Arizona High School States coming to a close earlier this month. Brophy has secured another state title amounting to 25 consecutive championships. One of the longest streaks of any high school sports team in the country joining us from Phoenix, Arizona Pat, welcome to the show.Pat O'Neill: Hey what is going on?Tiffany: Congratulations on another State title this year.Pat: Well thank you very much. It was very exciting and we certainly had a fun weekend.Tiffany: Well this is your 7th season with Brophy. 25 consecutive state titles, but give us a little history here. Brophy actually has a much larger number of wins. Why don't you tell us about that?Pat: Oh, you bet. We have got 235 state championships and a little known fact. We have got an additional 6 state runner ups. So we have been competing for a state championship since I believe our first time was in 1958 so it is quite a history in the past here in Brophy for swimming.Tiffany: How has Brophy been able to maintain this dominant level over so many years?Pat: Well, one of the saying is that success breeds success and that in fact is true, our reputation in the community that a lot of kids that are [inaudible 00:01:51] high level swimmers do want to come here and be a part of that tradition, but some of the tradition needed to be started somewhere and we come in the shoulders of a lot of great athletes, a lot of really good coaches. So it is a culmination of community support and community support of swimming in Arizona.Tiffany: So do you feel pressured going in to every state meet that there is a really high expectations on you. What are the emotions going into the each state meet every year?Pat: Well, I have to admit there are expectations that will return for the state championship, but I like to remind everybody that every year at least half of our team. This is their first time. 8 out of our 18 kids this year was their first time going to the state meet and it is exciting every year and it is a challenge every year. There is 162 other swim teams in Arizona that would love to be in place right now.Tiffany: So when high school swimming is such an interesting time for these swimmers most of them at least in your high school are club swimmers. So how do you balance club swimmers with high school swimmers and all the demanding schedules of all the different programs and coaches from around the area?Pat: Well that is one of the things that is fun and difficult about swimming Arizona. Most of our kids, but not all of them are club swimmers and they come from 9 different clubs, last count so we have to work hand-in-hand with the club coaches communication is the key. You need to be able to talk and communicate with the club coaches and find out what they are doing off season in order to help have a successful of our season.Tiffany: So let's talk about the Brophy swimmers in particular always a great senior class. Why don't you talk about any outstanding performances this year anybody to look forward to especially those seniors who will hopefully be moving on to collegiate swimming?Pat: Well you bet. It looks like we have 4 of our 7 senior years. Our talking with different colleges looking to swim at the next level, we have got our sprinter and who is actually named swimmer of the year at the state Gabby Espinosa anyone of the 1500 free and let of our 4×50 and our 4×100 relay. He is a hardworking kid and he is looking at about. He is never done in about 4 or 5 colleges right now, but after the state meet he got renewed interest from quite a few college coaches.We also had Luke Williams who was on our 4×100 relay and one that 200 freestyle and [inaudible 00:04:59] in the 500 freestyle. He is looking at a couple of different colleges as he has been talking to a couple of the [inaudible 00:05:08] as well and Jonas Fowler who was our IM 100 flyer. He is interested in going to a couple of – he has been talking to a couple of division 2 colleges kind of high level, high academics. He is a very, very intelligent kids as well.Tiffany: Well, Brophy is an institution that really prepares these swimmers not only for in the water but outside academically and in the real world. What is it about the Jesuit Community that you think really helps these boys all round in their sports and in their academics in life?Pat: Well, great question, I could go on about the Jesuit Education that they get here, but we really truly believe in Brophy being a community involving the parents and the people that are involved with the Brophy parents and the Brophy kids. We give them a very rounded education here. A lot of these kids will go on trips to third world countries and live and do some work in these rural villages in third world countries and they come back with a great appreciation of what is going on in United States, what is going on here in Brophy and the community around them.Tiffany: Well, they definitely I think success does breed success and that definitely applies here to Brophy so now that the season is over, how are you feeling, are the nerves able to settle down a little bit?Pat: Big sigh of relief for a lot of us but then right away last night we are having our banquet and start talking with the juniors and some of the sophomores in there. There is already excitement building for next season.Tiffany: Well…Pat: Go ahead.Tiffany: Go ahead. I was going to say that was my next question is when does preparation begin for the 2013 year? I guess it already has.Pat: Well, we are already thinking about next year already starting to discuss our I do's where we are going to slot different people for relays and you know who could swim what and we are very excited with the kids, we have got coming back and we have got a couple of top notch freshmen that looks like you are applying to Brophy so again we are very excited for next year already.Tiffany: Great, well you definitely are doing something right out there, Pat. 25 consecutive state titles, congratulations and we look forward to seeing you guys next year at Arizona States.Pat: Great Tiffany. Thank you very much.Tiffany: All right, thanks Pat. That is Pat O'Neill in the FINIS Monitor. That will conclude today's Morning Swim Show. Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with all the latest news. I am your host Tiffany Elias. Thanks for watching. All right, Pat, thank you so much.

Morning Swim Show Transcripts
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Tiffany Elias: This is the Morning Swim Show for Tuesday, November, 13, 2012. I am your host Tiffany Elias. Today's guest in the FINIS Monitor is Pat O'Neill. He is the Head Coach of the Jesuit School in Phoenix, Arizona, Brophy College Preparatory. With Arizona High School States coming to a close earlier this month, Brophy has secured another state title amounting to 25 consecutive championships, one of the longest streaks of any high school sports team in the country. Joining us from Phoenix, Arizona. Pat, welcome to the show.

Pat O'Neill: Thanks for having us on.

Tiffany: Congratulations on another State title this year.

Pat: Well thank you very much. It was very exciting and we certainly had a fun weekend.

Tiffany: Well this is your 7th season with Brophy. 25 consecutive state titles, but give us a little history here. Brophy actually has a much larger number of wins. Why don't you tell us about that?

Pat: Oh, you bet. We have got a total of 35 state championships and a little known fact. We have got an additional 6 state runner ups. So we have been competing for a state championship since I believe our first time was in 1958 so it is quite a historied past here in Brophy for swimming.

Tiffany: How has Brophy been able to maintain this dominant level over so many years?

Pat: Well, one of the sayings is that success breeds success and that in fact is true, our reputation in the community that a lot of kids that are elite high level swimmers do want to come here and be a part of that tradition, but some of the tradition needed to be started somewhere and we come on the shoulders of a lot of great athletes, a lot of really good coaches. So it is a culmination of community support and community support of swimming in Arizona.

Tiffany: So do you feel pressure going in to every state meet that there is a really high expectations on you? What are the emotions going into each state meet every year?

Pat: Well, I have to admit there are expectations that will return for the state championship, but I like to remind everybody that every year at least half of our team, this is their first time. 8 out of our 18 kids this year was their first time going to the state meet and it is exciting every year and it is a challenge every year. There's 162 other swim teams in Arizona that would love to be in our place right now.

Tiffany: So when — high school swimming is such an interesting time for these swimmers. Most of them at least in your high school are club swimmers. So how do you balance club swimmers with high school swimmers and all the demanding schedules of all the different programs and coaches from around the area?

Pat: Well that is one of the things that is fun and difficult about swimming in Arizona. Most of our kids, but not all of them, are club swimmers and they come from 9 different clubs at last count, so we have to work hand-in-hand with the club coaches. Communication is the key. You need to be able to talk and communicate with the club coaches and find out what they are doing off-season in order to help have a successful end of our season.

Tiffany: So let's talk about the Brophy swimmers in particular. Always a great senior class. Why don't you talk about any outstanding performances this year, anybody to look forward to, especially those seniors who will hopefully be moving on to collegiate swimming?

Pat: Well you bet. It looks like we have 4 of our 7 seniors are talking with different colleges looking to swim at the next level, we have got our sprinter who was actually named swimmer of the year at the state Gabby Espinosa and he won the 50 and 100 free and led of our 4×50 and our 4×100 relay. He is a hardworking kid and he is looking at about– he has narrowed it down to about 4 or 5 colleges right now, but after the state meet he got renewed interest from quite a few college coaches. We also had Lucas Williams who was on our 4×100 relay and won the 200 freestyle and took second in the 500 freestyle. He is looking at a couple of different colleges as he has been talking to a couple of the coaches as well and Jonas Fowler who was our IM and 100 flyer. He is interested in going to a couple of – he has been talking to a couple of Division II colleges kind of high level, high academics. He is a very, very intelligent kid as well.

Tiffany: Well, Brophy is an institution that really prepares these swimmers not only for in the water but outside academically and in the real world. What is it about the Jesuit Community that you think really helps these boys all round in their sports and in their academics in life?

Pat: Well, great question. I could go on about the Jesuit Education that they get here, but we really truly believe in Brophy being a community involving the parents and the people that are involved with the Brophy parents and the Brophy kids. We give them a very rounded education here. A lot of these kids will go on trips to third-world countries and live and do some work in these rural villages in third-world countries and they come back with a great appreciation of what is going on in United States, what is going on here in Brophy and the community around them.

Tiffany: Well, they definitely — I think success does breed success and that definitely applies here to Brophy. So now that the season is over, how are you feeling, are the nerves able to settle down a little bit?

Pat: Big sigh of relief for a lot of us but then right away last night we are having our banquet and start talking with the juniors and some of the sophomores in there. There is already excitement building for next season.

Tiffany: Well…

Pat: Go ahead.

Tiffany: I was going to say that was my next question is when does preparation begin for the 2013 year? I guess it already has.

Pat: Well, we are already thinking about next year already starting to discuss our I do's where we are going to slot different people for relays and you know who could swim what and we are very excited with the kids, we have got coming back and we have got a couple of top notch freshmen that looks like they are applying to Brophy so again we are very excited for next year already.

Tiffany: Great, well you definitely are doing something right out there, Pat. Twenty-five consecutive state titles, congratulations and we look forward to seeing you guys next year at Arizona States.

Pat: Great Tiffany. Thank you very much.

Tiffany: All right, thanks Pat. That is Pat O'Neill in the FINIS Monitor. That will conclude today's Morning Swim Show. Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with all the latest news. I am your host Tiffany Elias. Thanks for watching.

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