The long course

Mike Sciacca

Shawn Pfendler recently finished the “long course” swimming season

with a trip to the Junior Olympics, and he went about the

season-ending meet at the Janet Evans Olympic Swim Complex in

Fullerton, the way few athletes do.

The Laguna Beach High junior competed in 11 events -- the maximum

number allowed by Junior Olympic rules -- and swam the most events of

any swimmer on his Novaquatics club team.

Pfendler, who holds Laguna Beach High records in the 100-meter

backstroke, 200-meter individual medley and as a member of the

200-meter medley relay team, swam the individual events of the

100-meter and 200-meter backstroke, 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter

individual medley and 50 mete and 100-meter freestyle at the Junior

Olympics.

He qualified and competed in the championship finals in the

100-meter and 200-meter backstroke events and also qualified for the

200-meter freestyle final, but the 11-event rule prevented him from

competing.

In addition, he was part of the Novaquatics relay teams in the

200-meter and 400-meter medley relays and 200-meter, 400-meter and

800-meter free relays.

The Junior Olympics were held over a five-day period and in a

50-meter Olympic pool.

“It was a marathon of events,” the 17-year-old said. “I don’t

think I’ve ever swam 11 events in a meet before.

“It was taxing but I practice all the time and feel pretty

conditioned and in good shape. My team, Novaquatics, thoroughly

prepares for the Junior Olympics.”

For the second consecutive year, Novaquatics, a swim club based in

Irvine, won the Junior Olympic team championship.

Previously, Pfendler swam for the UC Irvine Aquazots team that won

the 2001 Junior Olympics team title.

The 2003 meet was his fifth trip to the Junior Olympics.

Although the 2003 Junior Olympics are history, Pfendler has had

little downtime: he jumped from the pool into the prep cross country

season, where he runs for Laguna’s varsity boys’ team.

On top of that, he’s playing winter baseball.

In the spring, he’s a shortstop/centerfielder for the Breakers.

In preparation for the Junior Olympics, Pfendler trained three

hours daily. Since the pre baseball and swim seasons coincide in the

spring, Pfendler will go from a three-hour baseball practice to the

pool, and swim for two hours.

This past Saturday, he and his Laguna teammates ran in the

Woodbridge Invitational and at its conclusion, he changed gears,

changed uniforms and went out and played with Laguna’s winter

baseball team.

“You just have to stay positive through it all,” he said of his

fortitude. “It can be hard on you both mentally and physically. You

have to find the joy in it, and I do.”

The 2003 cross country season marks Pfendler’s first at the

varsity level.

He ran cross country for the first time last year, as part of

Laguna’s frosh/soph team. He ended the year finishing second at the

Pacific Coast League finals race.

A student who carried a 4.7 grade-point average during the 2002-03

school year, Pfendler currently is among the top seven runners on

Coach Dave Brobeck’s boys’ varsity squad.

“He’s only been running in our program for a year but his learning

curve has been quicker than most runners who have been running for

two or three years,” Brobeck said.

“Shawn has the best work ethic. He’s positive, determined and

goal-oriented every time he comes to practice. He really believes in

his abilities and has such an unwavering determination to meet his

goals. He excels at everything he tries.”