Dayton Daily News
1/6/05

BEAVERCREEK | "Home Sweet Home" is an unfamiliar phrase for Dayton Christian sophomore Sean Shannon, but he's right at home in the pool. Dayton became Shannon's fourth home in 13 years when his father was assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base two years ago. His love of swimming made the team pool a familiar place for the Warriors swimmer before the boxes were all unpacked. "It's always hard to be uprooted but it made it a little easier to be able to continue swimming," Shannon said. Shannon, 15, isn't simply swimming, he's setting the bar at Dayton Christian High School. He recently broke the boys school record in the 500-yard freestyle with a personal-best time of 4:56.34. Of the six boys on the Warriors 15-member swim team, the sophomore is the only year-round swimmer.  And, while the 500 record swim was a welcome accomplishment, the distance swimmer much prefers to compete in the strenuous mile with his Dayton Raiders squad. "I think the distance events are a greater test of your skill," he said. "And to swim those distances takes so much more endurance." Endurance is not a problem for Shannon. He usually logs eight miles a day in the water. The Warriors sophomore typically swims 7,000 yards twice a day at practice. "It's a lot but you get used to it," Shannon said. "But I like the competition and I like being able to push myself. That's what I like most about swimming."

Shannon immediately took to swimming in England for the RAF Lakenheath base team when he was 11.

"It took a little work but I caught on pretty quickly," he said. While he most enjoys the distance events, Shannon also swims the 200 freestyle, 100 and 200 backstroke and the 200 individual medley. "He's very disciplined and very committed and it shows," Dayton Christian coach Kathy Wright said.

Discipline and commitment will be essential if Shannon is to accomplish his season goal. "Last year I made it to the district meet but I really want to make it to state," he said. His goal is clear and so is his strategy.

"I just try to focus on my race and my stroke," he said. "I just grab as much "I just grab as much water as I can."

Contact Debbie Juniewicz at djunie@aol.com  or at 294-5877.