The SwimLight – Getting to Know Destin Lasco (Video Included)

The SwimLight – Getting to Know Destin Lasco

In the realm of collegiate swimming, Destin Lasco is a captivating presence known for consistently delivering exceptional performances, especially in the backstroke and freestyle events. His contributions were instrumental in Cal’s triumph at the NCAA Championships, and he is recently coming off the high of being a member of the United States World Champs team this past summer. Through dedication and unrelenting effort, he has ascended to elite status in the sport of swimming, demonstrating his tenacity inside and outside the pool. A multifaceted athlete, Lasco’s character is as deep as his commitment to excellence.

How did you get into swimming?

Destin Lasco’s remarkable journey into the world of competitive swimming began with a dramatic incident involving his brother’s near-drowning. After facing initial setbacks and getting on the team, Lasco’s determined spirit ultimately paved the way for his entry into the sport, setting the stage for a remarkable career in the pool.

“It was actually my brother. So we lived in South New Jersey, and what happened was that my brother almost drowned. He fell off a bulkhead, and my uncle had to go in and save him. This was when my brother was five years old. Just based on that experience, my parents were, of course, petrified, and they thought, ‘We are just going to put our kids into swim lessons.’ So we applied to the swimming club, and it’s a competitive swim club, and one of the requirements was to swim a lap. My brother did the lap, no problem. He got on the team. But for me, I think I was six at the time, maybe almost seven. I couldn’t swim the lap. They kicked me off the team. They took my brother, and my parents were like, ‘Isn’t this a Learn-To-Swim program?’ They said, “No, this is a competitive swim club, but we do have people that do Learn-To-Swim programs, and we will refer you for the other son.” So I did that for probably four to five months. Then I came back to the same club, and I barely finished the lap. I did it, though. During that time, my older brother was showing a lot of good promise of being a really good swimmer. So the coaches were like, ‘You know what? We’ll just take him. We’ll just take the little one as well.’ So that’s what happened. That’s how I basically got into swimming.”

What was your favorite moment while swimming collegiately at the University of California, Berkeley?

Lasco’s most cherished collegiate memory centers around Cal’s 2023 national title. Despite an earlier setback of losing Pac-12s, the triumph at one of the fastest NCAAs in history against some of the nation’s top teams stands as a testament to their determination and a defining moment in his college swimming career.

“I’ll just keep it simple. For me, it was winning our second national title. That was probably one of my favorite moments at Cal. It was just being a part of that because we lost Pac-12s. We knew that we really had to fight if we wanted to win because we had Arizona State University, Texas, and Florida in the mix. I think that was my favorite moment because we won at one of the fastest NCAAs in history. So, being able to do that with my teammates was huge. That was probably one of my favorite moments, collegiately.”

Today, what swimming advice would you give your younger self?

Lasco’s wisdom for his younger self reflects an understanding of the journey of an athlete. In the face of ambition and the pursuit of national records, his advice to relax, maintain a long-term perspective, and trust in the process is a valuable reminder that success often unfolds at its own pace.

“This is going to sound cliché, but you can’t compete with destiny. I just remember that growing up, I was very driven on breaking national records, and if I didn’t do it, I would just be really upset and angry with myself. Sometimes you just have to have that fortitude and that long-term mindset of things will work out and you just have to keep putting the pieces together, no matter how fast or slow you go. I think that would be my advice to myself at a younger age is just relax, don’t stress, and things will come to fruition when they’re supposed to.”

What is your favorite thing about the sport of swimming?

Lasco highlights the invaluable life skills he’s acquired through swimming, emphasizing the significance of discipline and time management.

“I think for me, what swimming has really given me is discipline and time management. It’s like something you can’t buy or take from someone. Early mornings, waking up at 5:15 on a Monday morning, and learning how to prioritize your swimming with your school work and your recovery I think those are skills that I will use for the rest of my life. I could make it cliché and say, ‘Oh, I just love the accolades that come with it and the records and all that stuff.’ For me, it’s just going down to the bare basics of discipline and time management. I think that’s the favorite thing that swimming has taught me.”

What is your training looking like leading up to the Olympic Trials next year?

Lasco explains the two-year process and the significance of focusing on consistent training and recovery in his Olympic journey. He highlights his impressive achievements in preparation for the trials and his determination to be even better in the pool.

“I’ve had full trust in Dave (Durden). He doesn’t tell me much because he just wants me to focus on the present. I’m a firm believer that making the Olympic team or doing well at Olympic Trials is a two-year process. It’s not a six-month-out, one-year-out type of deal. It’s just an amalgamation of work that you’ve done over the year before and during the year. Last year, I was working really hard. It showed because I made my first World’s Team, and I made my break through in long-course. That’s the momentum I need going into this block. This season, leading up to the Olympics, I was like, ‘Okay, I’ve done the things that I wish I could have done.’ For example, I went 1:55 in the 200 back, 52 in the 100 back, and 47 in the 100 free. I’ve done the times to put me in a great spot to make the team. Now, it’s all about just being better than that. In the sense of just focusing on the little things, like how consistently I’m training and how I’m doing with my recovery, those are the things that are ultimately going to make the biggest difference come June.”

If you had to be stranded on a deserted island with one other person, who would it be and why?

“Easy, my mom. My mom grew up in Vietnam, and she grew up in the farmland of Vietnam. She also knows how to fish, so it would definitely be my mom.”

What are your thoughts on pineapple on pizza?

“I’ve had it before. It’s all right, but it wouldn’t be my go-to. The thing about it is that, and I think just Italian cuisine in general, it’s simple. So, if you put too much on it, it just gets too busy. I’m trying to be head-on, but I am not a firm believer in pineapple on pizza.”

*The current count is now 1 vote for pineapple on pizza, 2 votes for no pineapple on pizza for The SwimLight series*

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be, and what would you name it?

“My dream pet would honestly be a dog and it would be a German Shepherd. I was just talking about this with my teammate because they just adopted a German Shepherd. I would name it after my favorite anime character, Levi. So the dog’s name would be Levi.”

What is your favorite quote, and why does it resonate with you?

“One of my favorite quotes, and it’s just plain and simple, is never to give up. If things don’t go your way, you keep moving because time’s not going to stop. Life’s not going to stop for you if something great happens to you. You just have to keep pushing forward, no matter what comes your way, whether it’s good or bad. I think that’s just one of my favorite philosophies: to never give up, no matter what circumstance you’re in.”

What is your favorite type of music, and who are some of your favorite artists?

“So I can’t listen to rap all the time because that’s what I listen to before I race, like Gunna, Lil Uzi, Travis. Recently, I’ve been listening to a lot of Fleetwood Mac and the Paper Kites. It’s a lot more chill music. I should attest to my roommates because they’ve been showing me those types of bands. Right now, I would say what I’m into right now is Fleetwood Mac for sure, and the Paper Kites. I just finished midterm week, so I just need some chill music that I can listen to and have in the background while studying.”

What is your favorite season of the year, and what do you love about it?

“I’m a big water guy and I grew up on the Jersey Shore. I love to go to the beach, going to the ocean, fishing, riding on my friends’ jet skis, going boating. So that is my favorite time of the year. Just looking forward to being outside as much as I can.”

What do you think is the most important quality for success in swimming, and why is it so crucial?

“Honestly, you’ve got to have a consistent mentality, making sure you’re showing up every day with a positive attitude and good effort and practice. I think that’s what makes a really good athlete: somebody who is able to really put together consistent training every day, and also in the sense that it’s okay to fail in practice and really push yourself. It’s about what you learned from that. It doesn’t have to be consistency in the sense where you’re killing it every single day. It comes to me in the sense of you’re challenging yourself and being uncomfortable. I think that’s what makes the best athlete. Also, bringing up your teammates as well. I think that’s a big part of it. That’s one thing I learned at Cal is if you bring good energy to practice, it’s really infectious, and people will follow. It’s about who you surround yourself with. I think that’s huge, too. It’s just having consistency and surrounding yourself with the right people.”

Fun Fact: Growing up, Destin Lasco had a snake named Cosmo. Cosmo was a Ball Python, and Destin said he was a nice snake!

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