Roberts goes for the bold

From the Democrat and Chronicle

By Jeff DiVeronica
Staff writer

(March 5, 2004) — PERINTON — Jon Roberts knows he’ll probably win a third straight breaststroke title at this weekend’s state swimming championships on Long Island and that he may have been able to win the 200-yard individual medley.

Already the owner of six state titles (four on relay teams) as just a junior, the Fairport High swimmer was second in the IM last year. A few weeks ago, though, Roberts decided to challenge himself.

Instead of the IM, in which he won easily at sectionals last year and was second at states by 1.36 seconds, he’ll go after first in the 100 butterfly. That means butting heads with his friend and the defending state champion, Luke Weniger of Pittsford. Weniger edged Roberts by less than a second in the Section V Championships two weeks ago.

“I think it can be another good race with Luke,” says Roberts, the 6-foot-4, 185-pounder who was named Section V Swimmer of the Year last season and twice has been the Monroe County Division I Swimmer of the Year.

“In the IM last year at sectionals, I think I won by like six seconds. I thought I’d have more of a race in the fly with Luke. I’m not really out there just to win. I’m out there to get competition and I think I have a lot of potential in the fly for college.”

Think about it, how bold.

Forgoing a good chance at the state IM title just to see if you can push yourself a little more and win in the fly. Roberts is definitely a big-picture thinker.

“Regardless of who wins, it’s going to make you a better athlete just by racing somebody better,” Fairport coach Mike Kennedy has told Roberts, who at this stage in his career is the most decorated swimmer in school history, and that’s saying something when you consider the long line of great athletes the Red Raiders have churned out.

His fly time of 50.5 seconds at sectionals was a school record, and 0.07 behind Weniger. Weniger’s 49.67 in winning last year at states was a Section V record. Roberts also will try to help Fairport defend state titles in the 200 freestyle and 200 medley relays in which it set state records last year.

But the 100 breaststroke is Roberts’ best event and he isn’t just aiming for a three-peat, he wants to break the state record of 56.73 seconds held by former Pittsford swimmer Will Brandt. Roberts won at sectionals two weeks ago in 56.94.

“If I go my goal time (54 seconds),” he says matter-of-factly, “I don’t think there will be anyone close to me.”

Ah yes, times.

That’s all Roberts focuses on when he’s in the middle of a grueling workout that seems like it’s becoming too much to handle.

“That’s all I’m thinking about,” the 88-average student says. “That number in my head, where I want to be at at the end of the season.”

He hails from a swimming family. Roberts’ father reached the Olympic trials in the 200 butterfly, and his younger sister, Melanie, a Fairport freshman, won sectional titles last fall in the breaststroke and IM.

“I try to remain balanced because I know swimming is not going to be there all my life, so I focus on my schoolwork, friends and try to give my family that balance,” says Roberts, who took up golf last summer with his pal, Weniger (they usually tie, he says).

Kennedy beams about the Roberts family. When Jon was an eighth-grader, Kennedy told his parents, Charlie and Rebecca, that he thought it would be better for Jon’s development for him not to swim varsity. They understood.

“It sure would have helped our program. He was that good then: top three in sectionals, probably,” Kennedy said. “But maturity-wise I didn’t think it was the best thing. His family was phenomenal about it. That’s just the nucleus they have. They don’t look at themselves any different because they have a stud swimmer at home.”

Roberts has never rested on his achievements. After winning three state titles as a freshman, he and Kennedy knew to stay sharp they’d have to keep pushing Roberts in practice.

“His training is more important right now than the meets,” Kennedy says. “Now he’s pushing through that pain threshold more than he has and he realizes he has to if he is going to go to a top Division I (college program).”

Competing with his club team, Greater Rochester Racing Raiders (G.R.R.R.) and swimming in junior nationals already has taken Roberts around the world. He spent two weeks in January in Australia with a U.S.A. swimming team.

“It was more for the experience because it’s for kids that might be going to the Olympics or world championships someday,” Roberts says.

He already has narrowed his college choices to several top programs, including defending national champion Auburn University, where Weniger is headed, California-Berkeley, Stanford, Virginia and Tennessee.

But Roberts is pretty grounded. After winning three state titles as a freshman: “(My age) really doesn’t matter. All that matters is who has the best time.”

Says Kennedy: “He knows his sport and his competitors. But most important, he knows who he is, and I think that at this age you don’t find that too often with a kid. He knows himself and his limits.”