Hobart's Sivak movin' on up

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Brickie senior stays put to lead team up the charts

Most high school swimmers spend their first two years gearing up for the last two. As upperclassmen, most are bigger, stronger, and able to reach their full potential.

So imagine having to take off your junior year.

"My family believed we were going to move," Hobart's David Sivak said. "If I would have tried to swim my junior year until we moved, I would have lost my eligibility for my senior year. So I decided to take off my junior season, and then I could swim at any Indiana high school when I was a senior."

Much to the delight of the Brickies, Sivak's family did not move.

The senior is back at the helm, leading Hobart into sectionals on the strength of a great showing in the LAC conference meet.

Sival let everyone know he was back with a pair of victories in the 50 free (21.93) and the 100 free (47.91) in the conference meet. Both times were already under the state cut marks.

"It was a great relief to know that I could make the state times," Sivak said. "I was able to spend the last month concentrating on tapering to get ready for sectionals."

Sivak kept his training up last year by swimming age-group with NIKE (Northwest Indiana kicking Express) team.

When he was a sophomore, Sivak finished third in both the 50 free and 100 free at sectional. But neither time was good enough to get to state.

"So I'm making up for lost time in two ways," Sivak said. "I need to make up for missing out my sophomore year, and I'm making up for missing my whole junior season."

Coach Amy Harrington said if anybody can make it all up, it's Sivak.

"He is one of he best kids I have ever worked with," Harrington said. "He's always willing to learn some new trick or technique, always watching other swimmers to try to pick up an advantage. He's one of the most coachable kids you could ask for."