SPRING REVIEW / SWIMMING : Baldocchi to Dress for Success at Finals : Suitably Clothed, He’ll Try to Lead El Camino Real to 9th Straight Title

Swimmer Bob Baldocchi commands considerable attention when he bears down near the end of a race, but he received his biggest ovation when he bared all at the starting blocks.

A senior at El Camino Real High, Baldocchi, the holder of two City records, vividly remembers the cheers he received three years ago at a meet at Industry Hills. In the morning’s preliminary heats he swam the 23rd fastest time and didn’t qualify for the final.

That evening, wearing shorts and a shirt, he attended the final. To his surprise, the public address announcer said, “Swimming in lane No. 1, Bob Baldocchi.” Baldocchi hurried to the pool and was informed that because several of the top 16 had scratched, he was in the race.

But he was without a suit or the time to change. A friend loaned him a suit and persuaded Baldocchi to change along the side of the pool while he shielded him with a towel. The crowd of around 1,000, by this time restless, turned its attention to Baldocchi.

The swimmer had just pulled the suit above his knees when his friend dropped the towel. Embarrassed, Baldocchi quickly pulled up the suit. Understandably, he finished last in the race.

“I was too disoriented to swim well,” Baldocchi said. “I was too busy laughing. But I’ve never gotten bigger applause.”

In most races since, Baldocchi has finished first. He’s the City record holder in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events, having set both records at last year’s City championships.

At this year’s finals, which will be held at East Los Angeles College on May 14, Baldocchi will attempt to lead El Camino Real to its ninth straight City title. Baldocchi has been part of the last two championship teams.

As a sophomore, he was the City champion in the 50. Last year, he won the 50 in 21.27 and the 100 in 45.83. He’ll swim the 100 next week, but won’t attempt to defend his title in the 50. Instead, he’ll swim the 200-yard freestyle. At Monday’s preliminaries, Baldocchi won the 100 in 47.3 and the 200 in 1:44.3.

Those are the events Baldocchi expects to swim next year at Cal, to which he verbally committed in March.

Cal Coach Nort Thornton is enthusiastic about the opportunity to train Baldocchi.

“I think his potential is great,” Thornton said. “He has good technique and has a great feel for the water. He is able to do the things that make him a potentially great swimmer.”

To succeed at the college level, Baldocchi believes, as does El Camino Real swimming Coach Corey Stanbury, that he must increase his strength. Until this season, he hadn’t lifted weights regularly.

“My coaches and I saw people lift weights, get real big and burn out when they were young,” said Baldocchi, who is 6-1, 170 pounds. “We decided that if I wasn’t getting beat because other people were bigger and stronger, I wouldn’t lift weights. Last year, people began beating me because they were bigger and stronger.”

Baldocchi’s weight training has been limited because of tendinitis in both shoulders, a condition he developed last season. He presently follows an isometric weight program in which he concentrates on holding a weight, rather than repeatedly lifting it.

He trains with both his high school team and club team, Class Aquatics, which practices two hours each weekday and on Saturdays.

Because El Camino Real does not have a pool, the team trains at Pierce College. It is unable to use the pool in the afternoon, so practices are from 5:30 to 7 a.m.

To prepare himself for Cal’s rigorous weight program, Baldocchi plans to concentrate on training, rather than competing, during the summer. He intends to swim only in the national championships in August.

“If I don’t get my shoulders in shape, they’ll blow out,” he said.

For now, Baldocchi has his mind set on another City title. Although El Camino Real finished second to Birmingham in the West Valley League, he is confident his team can win.

“When it comes down to the important meets, we swim well and other people choke,” Baldocchi said. “It’s pretty hard to stop at eight straight. With the records I have, I’d rather go out with another City championship.”

Even so, Baldocchi wants to win both of his individual events.

Considering his times in the preliminaries, he has a good chance. As long as he remembers his suit.

EL CAMINO REAL Boys:

The Conquistadores have won eight straight City titles, but are seeded second to Palisades in this year’s championships, which will be held May 14 at East Los Angeles College. El Camino Real finished second in the West Valley League.

Bob Baldocchi is seeded No. 1 in the 100- and 200-yard freestyles. Cliff Rossie is seeded No. 1 in the 200-yard individual medley (2:00.6) and the 100-yard butterfly (53.0). Bryce Johnston is the top seed in the 100-yard backstroke (57.9).

BIRMINGHAM Boys:

The Braves repeated as West Valley League champions and Coach Nick Rodionoff believes they can finish as high as third in this year’s championships.

“We’re basically a very strong dual meet team,” Rodionoff said. “But El Camino Real is a much stronger championship meet team.”

Junior Matt Ballard is seeded No. 1 in the 500-yard freestyle and No. 2 in 200 individual medley. He is the defending City champion in both events. Senior diver Robert Pearman also is the returning City champion in his event.

Pat Wilson is seeded No. 3 in the 100 butterfly and Jordan Kalbs is fourth in the 50-yard freestyle.

EL CAMINO REAL Girls:

After winning the West Valley League title, the Conquistadores are seeded No. 1 in the City championships.

Audrey Rossie is seeded No. 1 in the 50 free (25.9) and No. 2 in the 100 butterfly (1:00.9). Kristen Underwood is the top seed in the 100 (55.9) and 200 (1:58.7) freestyles. El Camino’s 200-yard medley relay team also is seeded No. 1.

CALABASAS Boys:

The Coyotes won the Frontier League and Coach Dave Herschman thinks they will finish between first and third in the Southern Section 2-A championships, which will be held Saturday at 6 p.m. at east Los Angeles College. Last season, Calabasas finished fourth.

“This is a very young team and should be its strongest next year,” Herschman said. “But we have the potential to do very well this year. They’re excited and should rally up for the finals.”

Calabasas is led by juniors Kenji Bek and Eric Weitz. Bek swims the 200 free and 100 butterfly, while Weitz swims the the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke.

HARVARD Boys:

The Saracens finished sixth in the Southern Section 2-A division last season, and Coach Jon Sappey believes they can crack the top five this year, Harvard finished second in the Pioneer League.

“We’re definitely one of the stronger teams, although Calabasas and San Luis Obispo (the defending champion) are extremely strong,” Sappey said. “We lost no individual points from last year. And we’ve more than adequately replaced the kids from the relays.”

Junior Fred Brende is defending 2-A champion in the 50 freestyle (21.6) and also swims the 100 freestyle (47.8). Sappey also believes that Marc Willick, who swims the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke, and John McIntyre, who swims the 100-yard breaststroke, will contribute points.

HART Boys:

Hart is undefeated and won the Foothill League, but Coach Steve Neale said he would be satisfied with a top-10 finish in the 3-A championships.

“We’ve been top five in the past, but this is a rebuilding year,” Neale said. “But we do have a lot of depth and have a lot of people flirting with the time standards.”

Neale believes freshman Blair Cannon can make an impact in the 500 freestyle and the 200 individual medley. Jason Leggitt, who swims the 100 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley, and junior Craig Miller, who swims the 100 and 200 freestyles, should be competitive, Neale said.

HART Girls:

Led by Anne Blomster, the Indians could finish in the top five at the 3-A championships, Neale said. Hart was undefeated in dual meets and won the Foothill League.