During his freshman year, Leyden swimmer Kamil Gorski began noticing he was unusually winded after practices and meets.
Gorski, who also said he was working through some personal issues, stepped away from his sophomore year of swimming, “to heal myself and get my mind and focus back together.”
Now a junior, Gorski got back in the pool last fall at Mannheim Middle School. When Leyden’s season started, he lifted weights both with the team and on his own, attended morning practices when he could and stayed after practice to work on his turns.
“I came back because I felt like I let my team down last year for not showing up,” said Gorski, a Melrose Park resident. “I wanted to show them that I’m back and healthy and wanted to continue my high school swimming. I thought I was going to be really bad, but surprisingly I’m better.”
His best times this season include a 24.03 in the 50 freestyle at the Hoffman Estates Candy Cane Classic on Dec. 10, where he took fifth out of 18 swimmers.
Leyden second-year coach Chris Cook said he is impressed with what Gorski has been able to accomplish this season, but he was careful in the offseason to let his swimmer make his own decision about returning.
“I didn’t want to push him at all,” Cook said. “I think he got hungry again, and he’s setting goals for himself and he decided to come back. I want them to make their own decisions, and they are more likely to work hard.”
Gorski recorded Leyden’s only individual event winner at Bartlett’s Mike Coleman Memorial Invitational on Jan. 14, taking first in the 50-yard freestyle in 24.08. He also anchored the 400 freestyle relay that took second in 3:46.68. His efforts helped the Eagles take fourth as a team.
It was a busy weekend for Gorski. The night before, he raced legs on all three winning relays in a 117-56 West Suburban Gold dual meet loss to Downers Grove South: the 200 medley (1:53.19), 200 freestyle (1:39.43) and 400 freestyle (3:43.78). He also took third in the 100 freestyle in 54.83.
“I didn’t think he would be this fast this quickly,” Cook said. “I attribute that to passion, to wanting it. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. When you do the extra things, you’re going to see those benefits.”
Gorski’s goal this season is to qualify in the 50 free for the state boys swimming and diving meet Feb. 24-25 at New Trier.
“That’s the only goal in my head,” Gorski said. “I try to work on my freestyle as best I can. I’m conditioning myself and weightlifting. I’m close in all my events, but in my 50 free I’m the closest.”
Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press
