The end of the 2010-2011 boys swimming and diving team did not bring an end to senior Patrick Sheppell's swimming career.
Sheppell placed top 15 in three events, the 1000, the 500 and the 1650, at the YMCA Short Course National meet that took place over Spring Break. Sheppell placed 9th in the 1000, 15th in the 500 and 10th in the 1650.“What can I say, [placing] felt great,” Sheppell said. “I guess it was a little bit of a surprise, because I swam a lot faster than I did at [high school] States this year, but at the same time I was not surprised because I normally do better [at nationals].”
With the high school State Meet only three weeks earlier, the National meet can be rough on boys who swam during the high school season. Sheppell had to taper, a technique in swimming, where the competitor cuts down on unhealthy foods, and starts a new, somewhat easier, practice routine, twice. Tapering twice can often lead to times staying relatively the same or even increasing.
This was not the case for Sheppell. He had all best times by a large margin in each event. He dropped four seconds, to a 4:34.33 in the 500, nine seconds to a 9:23.55 in the 1000 and 20 seconds to a 15:44.90 in the 1650.
"The fact that he dropped so much time, in a two and a half week period is exceptional," Birmingham Blue Dolphin’s senior coach Mike Wind said. "It's amazing."
According to Sheppell, the reason he did so well at Nationals was due to his love of the meet. It’s his favorite part of the season, and the reason he switched from swimming at Birmingham Bloomfield Atlantis, a USS team that does not compete at Nationals, to a local YMCA team The Birmingham Blue Dolphins, when he was 13.
“[Nationals are] down in Florida, and I guess I’m more excited than the other [swimmers],” Sheppell said. “I like Nationals a lot more than [high school] States, I’m a lot more excited, a lot more confident.”
Senior teammate Nick Wyllie recognizes how Sheppell’s swims and state of mind helped to inspire the rest of the National team.
“He really helped pick up the energy of our team,” Wyllie said. “When everyone else wasn’t swimming that well, he was able to step it up and drop time.”
Sheppell has been training hard with a local YMCA swim team, The Birmingham Blue Dolphins, since mid March, when the high school season ended, to prepare for this particular meet. The week of Spring Break, Sheppell was in Fort Lauderdale, Florida giving up a fun trip with friends, to swim at the YMCA Short Course Nationals, the biggest meet of the year.
“[At Nationals] you’re on a whole new level of swimming,” sophomore teammate Matt Wolkhamer said. “And things just get bigger as you go on.”
Nationals hosts all 50 states in America, with top YMCA teams across the country vying for the number one spot. In each event, there were dozens of swimmers competing, all of whom talented enough to qualify for the meet ranked not too far below the Olympic trials. This in itself is a tough accomplishment in the world of competitive swimming.
“Just getting the National cut is pretty hard,” Wyllie said. “Placing is almost impossible.”
Sheppell has always been a distance freestyler, exceeding in events that last over 500 yards, including the 1650, which is equivalent to a mile.
“I feel like he never feels pain,” Wolkhamer said. “I mean it almost seems that way. He can go on forever.”
Sheppell disagrees, noting how tough swimming the longer events can be for him.
“The most difficult part is probably swimming the race,” Sheppell said. “It hurts.”
Although most of Nationals is spent in the pool, either practicing or competing, Sheppell was able to take a break and meet his hero and role model, Olympian Peter Vanderkaay.
“[Vanderkaay’s] also from southeast Michigan. He went to U of M. He’s a distance swimmer like me, and I actually met him. He’s a really nice guy,” Sheppell said. “I feel like I see myself, kind of like him.”
Vanderkaay, along with Olympian Ryan Lochte, is known for his outgoing personality and upbeat, funny antics during stressful and hard practices. In this way, Sheppell shares another similarity with his favorite Olympian.
“Boys really get along with him and enjoy his antics, whether it be singing songs in the middle of sets, or just making some ridiculous comments,” Wind said. “He’s definitely one of the hardest workers and most entertaining swimmers.”
Wolkhamer agrees with Wind, adding even more characteristics that make Sheppell a fun guy to swim with.
“Patrick’s a great teammate,” Wolkhamer said. “He always brings a lot of humor to the sport. He’s a good guy, he’s a great swimmer and he’s a leader. He’s definitely a leader.”
Sheppell hasn’t always been this way. He started swimming when he was two, and struggled with the sport throughout his adolescent years.
“The thing I’m most proud of is just his overall improvement,” Wind said. “Going from not a very good swimmer as a little kid, to placing in three events at a National meet.”
Sheppell plans to keep improving. He’s going to Grand Valley State next year and made the decision to swim on their team.
“I’ve been in contact with [Grand Valley State] since September,” Sheppell said. “It was an obvious choice [to swim], and a great choice. I’d say it was a great choice.”
