Trio synchronize swimming

Earlier this year, Palo Verde swimmer Jake Priest came to a realization.

One of three Panthers swimmers vying for a spot in the Olympic Trials, Priest discovered this was not the time to be passive.

"It kinda hit me -- it's Olympic Trials, I need to focus on every race," Priest said. "Some kids are trying to be No. 1 in state. We're trying to be No. 1 in the world."

Junior Priest and sophomore teammates Cody Miller and Jay Sirat are balancing duties to their team and to themselves, weighing their commitment to Palo Verde's present and to their respective futures.

It helps that they have two supportive coaches.

"We try to meld our season with the (Sandpiper Swim Club) and USAA swimming, so that we don't interfere with Olympic Trials but also keep them in the program and in high competition," said Panthers swim coach Bob Nicholson, who is joined by assistant Brent Gonzalez. "We have to organize so they don't miss anything with club. If that means our backup guys can take a meet and they can't be here, then we'll use the backup guys. And they'll win it."

With a team loaded with numbers and talent, Nicholson has a luxury most coaches don't. Seeking his eighth straight regional title, Nicholson can afford to let his three top swimmers miss a meet. With guys such as sophomore Gianni Sesto and senior Brandon Sorkin to pick up the slack, the Panthers are never truly lacking.

"We actually sat with our club coach and high school coach and planned that we were going to this meet or this meet or this meet," Priest said. "Some, we really help the team win, or some we need to help with the dual meets to get to state. We're doing the bare minimum to get to regionals so we can go on to state."

And that is where their goals collide.

Priest, Miller and Sirat are key to Palo Verde's chances of knocking off defending state champion Reno.

But they are also swimming for themselves, trying to attain times that will put them in contention for the Olympics. Maybe not this year, but in four or eight years.

"That's the goal; if I make the trials, that's as good as it can get -- making trials at 16 is like one in a million," Miller said. "The year would still be successful if I didn't; it would just be a bit of a letdown. But it will make me work harder next year."

Added Gonzalez: "They're 15, 16 years old, and they'll get that steppingstone to see what it's like. You see where they really are at; you see where they get established. Realistically, they're not making the Olympic team, but if they make the trials, they get to see that competition, and in four years, when they're more mature, it takes them that much further along."