Jacob Kucera is Gilmer High’s latest college bound swimmer.
While the swim program is still in its infancy compared to those that have been around for decades, and hurdles along the way have staggered participation, it continues to have swimmers advance to the college ranks.
Kucera will attend Piedmont University, and he explained his recruitment and how he settled on swimming for the Lions.
“I wasn’t in contact with many schools,” he said. “I was looking at some other schools like Berry, UGA and Georgia Tech, but specifically for what I wanted to do and the level I was at, Piedmont was probably the best fit. I fell in love with it first thing (when visiting). I had an amazing experience during orientation and didn’t think I was going to find that anywhere else.”
The decision was also heavily weighted by the academic side, where Kucera plans to be equally committed.
“Ultimately, it’s not all about sports. It’s about academics,” Kucera said. “I’m looking at majoring in athletic training. I’ve always loved helping other people, and I shadowed a previous athletic trainer that was at GHS my sophomore year. I fell in love with it. I loved helping people through their injuries and getting to know them. The best part about it is I’m an athlete, and this career field will help me as an athlete become better and more health conscious.”
Kucera has continued to familiarize himself with the field at Benchmark Physical Therapy. He got his foot in the door through work-based learning back in January. He maintained his needed class hours for course credit through graduation, and he was also hired by the company in March.
Once he completed required hours for class, he stayed on for the remainder of the day as a paid employee. He assisted patients with exercises and helped keep the interior tidy.
“I have loved every second of it,” said Kucera.
His swimming journey started later than most, but Kucera has taken advantage of his brief time in the pool. Until his freshman year at GHS, he did not participate in any sports but noted he “wanted to change that.”
“Just on a hunch, I decided to join swim,” Kucera said. “It started with just high school, and I started out really slow. By my junior year, I was at the state level, and I was the fastest on the team.”
Without their own dedicated space, GHS practiced at a shared private pool in Coosawattee. While not an ideal situation without the basics of a competitive pool, it gave swimmers a place to improve and get faster on a yearly basis.
“It didn’t bother me. I was in there to work for myself and get to the point where I was the best. Just because the pool situation wasn’t what everyone wanted it to be, I was in there to work hard. Whatever that meant and whatever conditions I had to be in, I was going to work my butt off either way,” Kucera said.
Unfazed by the circumstances, Kucera continued to get faster during his time at GHS. As a junior, he helped set new Bobcat standards in the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays. He joined teammates Law Lykins, Ian Berry and Cheyne Smith to place fifth in the state in the 200 relay in 1:33.96. Lykins, Berry, Kucera and Larz Fowler posted a time of 3:35.41 in the 400 relay for eighth place.
“I would always swim the anchor on the 200 relay,” Kucera said. “The first and last legs are the most important because you need a good starting time and finishing time. I had the fastest time because I’m more of a sprinter than long distance.
“I had to train a little harder for the 400 free. That race was unlike anything I’ve ever had. The enthusiasm and excitement we had before getting on the blocks was unreal. I worked my butt off to get to that time (53 seconds), and that’s when I decided I wanted to swim in college.”
As a senior, Kucera qualified for state in the 50-yard freestyle. However, an ailment sidelined him in the final month of the season. He was not medically cleared to practice in time to prepare for the meet and was unable to attend.
Kucera also swam during summers with the Gilmer Swim Team. He further competed at USA Swimming events with his Jasper based club team.
“It changed my mindset because I came in with a weak midset,” he said of the club scene. “I was going to do the best I can, and whatever happens, happens. If I’m good I’m good, and if I’m bad, I’m bad. But the more I did it, the more I wanted to push myself and be the best. My mentality now is I will destroy everything in my path to be the best.”
He used USA Swimming for motivation after being exposed to more talented competitors. He has beefed up his workout and training regimens in his free time as he prepares for college, and he plans to use that same mentality at the next level.
Kucera noted Piedmont coaches want him to focus on improving flexibility and endurance for longer college events such as the 400-yard individual medley and 200 butterfly. Kucera credits parents Keith and Pam Kucera and GHS coaches Paige Johnstone, Alton Guidry and Mary-Melissa May for their support, time and guidance over the past four years.
“I’m looking forward to figuring out who I am as a person and about what I want to do,” Kucera said. “Obviously, I want to make a whole lot of friends. I want to set the stage and be a good example for upcoming freshmen once I’m knee-deep in college. I want to leave a legacy and be someone people think about and remember.”
Piedmont competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division III as members of the Collegiate Conference of the South.