Senior always comes through when Irish swim team needs him
By LISA REIJULA
Sports Writer
Every team has a go-to guy, an individual that can be counted on to be cool under pressure and deliver a top performance in the most important competitions. For the Notre Dame men's swimming and diving team, senior Jason Fitzpatrick is the definition of a clutch performer, always rising to the occasion in big meets.
"In basketball, he's the guy you'd give the ball at the end of a close game," said head coach Tim Welsh of Fitzpatrick. "In football, at third and one with 30 seconds to go, he's the one whose play you'd call."
A self-described "intense" competitor who hates to lose, Fitzpatrick is among the elite of the Big East conference in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. The top Irish swimmer in the stroke, Fitzpatrick's times have yet again earned him a spot in both races at the upcoming Big East Championships.
This season, Fitzpatrick has been a consistent competitor, earning victories in dual meets against Oakland, Cleveland State and TCU. At the Notre Dame Invitational in December, he set a school record in the 100 breaststroke (55.71).
A native of Arizona, Fitzpatrick did not begin swimming competitively until his freshman year of high school. He considered joining the football team to play with his twin brother Brandon.
"It was my dad that got me into swimming," said Fitzpatrick. "He was the one who pushed me in the direction of the sport."
Fitzpatrick had a stellar high school career, setting numerous school records and earning varsity letters all four years. He was also named an All-America and all-academic selection as a senior, and was inducted into the Arizona High School Hall of Fame.
He cites his high school coach, Brad Hering, as his role model in the sport. Hering, a former swimmer for Arizona State and a competitor on an international level in the 1980s, was a major source of motivation for Fitzpatrick.
"He was an inspiration to me," Fitzpatrick said. "He was the reason I continued to swim in college."
At the suggestion of his father, Fitzpatrick attended a summer swim camp at Notre Dame, and became interested in the University.
"I liked it when I visited, and when I talked to the coach he sold me on it," said Fitzpatrick.
As a freshman, Fitzpatrick made an immediate impact for the Irish. He established the 100 and 200 breaststrokes as his signature events and placed seventh in the 200 at the 2000 Big East Championships.
Fitzpatrick continued to improve as a sophomore, placing third in the 200 and sixth in the 100 race at the Big East meet. He won both the Patrick Reilly McManus Captain's Award and Notre Dame's Most Improved Award for the 2000-01 season.
"These awards identify him as a person who's a great teammate and performer," said Welsh. "He is a leader in performance and one of our strongest swimmers."
This year Fitzpatrick was elected a co-captain, along with fellow seniors John Hudson and Andy Maggio. He is also the team's representative on the Student Advisory Board.
"He is an outstanding team leader who leads more by example than by words," said Welsh. "He, John and Andy have been instrumental in building a great esprit de corps this year."
Fitzpatrick has taken his leadership role seriously.
"As a senior, I bring experience," he said. "I work hard in practice and hope to influence the rest of the people on the team through that. I am definitely intense; that sums me up when it comes to swimming."
Over the course of his four years, Fitzpatrick has witnessed a change in attitude in the Notre Dame team.
"In past years we were more split up individually, while this year we've grown as a team," he said. "We are more focused as a team."
Fitzpatrick's example has helped the Irish develop as a group. His love for competition and the sport is evident to his teammates and coach.
"He is an excellent competitor that races extremely well at championship meets," said Welsh. "The saying goes that luck favors the well-prepared and he's very well-prepared."
Fitzpatrick's preparation for this season began in the summer. He stayed in South Bend to work with strength coach Ken Cromer.
"The strength training I did with Ken helped me get faster this year," Fitzpatrick said.
His times have improved this year, and Fitzpatrick heads into this weekend's Big East meet ranked in the top three in both distances for the breaststroke.
"He's looking to have lifetime-best performances and he's prepared to do it," said Welsh. "We're counting on him this weekend; he's going to be needed."
After he closes his impressive career at Notre Dame, Fitzpatrick will head to law school at Arizona State. His twin brother Brandon is set to graduate from Northern Arizona this year as well. Both of Fitzpatrick's younger brothers are athletes. Ryan is a sophomore quarterback for Harvard's football team, and Shawn plays two varsity sports as a high school sophomore.
Fitzpatrick is looking to leave a lasting mark in the Notre Dame record books. He has set his sights on accomplishing a goal that has eluded all previous Notre Dame swimmers.
"I want to make the NCAA Championships [in the 100 or 200 breaststroke]," he said.
Fitzpatrick's goal is lofty, but he has established himself as a strong clutch competitor. As the Irish swim team's go-to guy, he has proved that no goal is too far from his reach.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, February 19, 2003
