Boys Swimming: New Trier senior Grodecki poised for stamp on career

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2/18/12. Winnetka. New Trier's Max Grodecki dives off the block en route to winning the 100 Freestyle at the New Trier Sectional and qualifying for the state meet. | Tracy Allen~for Sun-Times Media

Updated: March 24, 2012 8:31AM

The boys swimming state finals are this weekend at Evanston, which means it is Max Grodecki’s time to shine.

Grodecki is the unquestioned leader of a dominant New Trier team that is heavily favored to win its second straight state championship and sixth in the last nine years. The Trevians are loaded with at least six future Division I swimmers, but Grodecki is their hammer.

“We call Max ‘Mr. February,’” New Trier coach Mark Onstott said. “There’s two days in February where you don’t mess with Max. He’s pretty tough those two days in February.”

Grodecki, a Wisconsin signee, is pretty tough to beat any time of the year, but he seems to save his best racing for the state finals. Last season he won the 100-yard freestyle, was third in the 50 free and anchored the Trevians’ 200 and 400 free relays to victory as New Trier captured its fourth state title in six years.

“Max really gets our morale high because he’s a really good guy,” New Trier junior Jack Mangan said. “During season he’s going fast, but when it comes time for state, he just gets ridiculous with how fast he’s going.”

This winter Grodecki has been ahead of his pace from last year. He has the fastest time in the state in the 50 free (20.89), which he recorded Jan. 14, and the fourth-best mark in the 100 free (46.30). New Trier also has the top time in all three relays.

“If I get tapered right, I usually swim my best tapered, but I don’t usually post times like (that) in-season,” Grodecki said. “(Being a reigning state champ) feels great and it means a lot to me because I get to be part of the team that is winning all the time and doing really well. And we’re all really close, so it’s always a fun time.”

That has made this year the most enjoyable for Grodecki, who says this squad is the best he’s been a part of. But that doesn’t mean he takes anything for granted.

“(Being ranked No. 1) is fine but I wouldn’t say we’re the favorites because a lot of people want to see us fail and also a lot more people want to see us succeed and do really well,” Grodecki said. “I just want us to do really well and see what we can do. Nothing is a given.”

Except, perhaps, that Grodecki and his teammates will give maximum effort.

“I don’t know anyone who likes to race more than Max,” said New Trier senior Nick Killeen, a Michigan recruit who swims with Grodecki on two relays. “He really gets up for all of his races, but when it comes down to state, he knows that the team puts a lot on him. He’s obviously really a huge asset to our team, so we rely on him a lot to do what he does, and I think he kind of relies on us in the same way.”

While this meet will be Grodecki’s last for New Trier, he said it represents a beginning, not an end.

“I think this is just the start of my career because I think I can get better in college,” Grodecki said. “And this is a fantastic start.”

Attitudes like that have fueled the Trevians to eight consecutive state trophies. New Trier has been blessed with plenty of talent, but fearlessness is something that can’t be coached.

“Max is not afraid to race anybody,” Onstott said. “He’s stubborn. You can call that determined, I guess. He’s just a good racer. He doesn’t care who he’s racing against. He just gets up and goes and does a great job.”