Birmingham’s Ballard Goes 3 for 3 for 3 at League Swim Finals

The pain in Matthew Ballard’s shoulders was so bad last week that he had trouble sleeping.

“At times, it makes you feel like quitting, just stopping for a while,” said Ballard, the star of the Birmingham High swim team.

But the 15-year-old sophomore, who has been bothered by tendinitis in both shoulders, isn’t about to quit.

“I’d get too bored if I didn’t swim,” he said. “Besides, swimming is fun.”

Especially when you’re as good as Ballard is.

At Wednesday afternoon’s West Valley League finals, Ballard had a typical day. Three events, three victories, three season-best times.

“He’s going to be perhaps the best-ever swimmer at our school,” said Nick Rodionoff, the Birmingham’s swim coach since 1962.

Ballard captured first place in the boys’ 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:05.78. Later, he swam a 4:54.86 500-yard freestyle to win easily.

He then closed out the session at East Los Angeles College by anchoring Birmingham’s 400-yard freestyle relay team to a victory with a time of 3:25.76, edging out El Camino Real (3:27:06). It was the Braves’ best time in the event this year by almost 11 seconds.

Swimmers from Birmingham, Chatsworth, Cleveland, El Camino Real, Kennedy, Reseda and Taft competed Wednesday for qualifying spots in the City semifinals to be held May 6 (which, along with the City finals, scheduled for May 14, also will be held at East Los Angeles College).

Ballard, according to Rodionoff, should definitely be a contender for the title in his two individual events at the City finals. He would be a prohibitive favorite if not for the tendinitis problems.

“My right shoulder is stronger than the other one,” Ballard said, explaining the malady. “So I put too much pressure on my right during swimming.”

The problems began two years ago during double workouts at Christmas time. The pain disappeared but returned the following Christmas.

“And it hasn’t really gone away since,” Ballard said.

Ballard ices his shoulders four times a day and takes anti-inflammatory pills to control the swelling. Once the swelling is down, he can begin a number of stretching exercises to balance his muscles.

He also has cut back on his workouts, swimming 5,000 to 6,000 yards a day instead of 10,000.

“But I don’t cut down too much, because if I did and then came back, my shoulders would really hurt,” Ballard said.

The tendinitis has irritated Ballard to the extent that he feels that he has lost races at the club level (he also swims for the Glendale YMCA) that he should have won.

But at the high school level, Ballard has been untouchable. He is undefeated in races this season and has lowered his mark in the 500 freestyle every time out.

“Like any great swimmer, he has the dedication,” Rodionoff said of his prize pupil. “He has great work habits. His strength is his tremendous kick. He is extremely strong in his lower body.”

Rodionoff believes Ballard could go on to a major university and, perhaps, swim in the Olympics one day.

But Ballard, who has been swimming competitively since he was 10, isn’t concerned with the future right now.

He’s having too much fun at the moment.

“I don’t go out there to beat everyone every time,” Ballard said. “I’m out there to have fun and better my times.”

And swimming is hardly his entire life.

The 5-7, 140-pound Ballard has been in figure skating competitions, and he even played B football for Birmingham this past season.

“I tried to play wide receiver and cornerback,” Ballard said.

What did he end up playing? “The bench,” he said with a laugh.

Ballard isn’t sure if he’ll play football next year. And as for the 1988 Olympics, he maintains a realistic attitude. “There are a lot of guys in my age group who are a lot faster than me. At the high school level, I might be No. 1 or No. 2, but at the club level I’m not very good.”

“He’s pretty modest about it,” Rodionoff said. “He’s talking about the best swimmers in the nation (at his age group). And he’s still in that group.”

While Ballard may not be among the topmost swimmers in the country, Rodionoff thinks he is developing his own exclusive club in the City.

And membership is just a City championship or two away.

Ballard wasn’t the only multiple winner at the meet Wednesday. El Camino Real’s Bob Baldocchi was an easy winner in the 50 freestyle (21.81) and the 100 freestyle (46.92). Reseda’s Stephanie Hoisch also was a double winner--the girls’ 50 freestyle (24.96) and the 100 butterfly (1:01.69).

El Camino’s Cliff Rossie won in the boys’ 200 freestyle (1:49.79) and the 100 butterfly (55.93). Kristin Underwood, also of El Camino, was victorious in the girls’ 200 freestyle (1:58.89) and the 500 freestyle (5:16:39).