Westcott Faces Tough--but Faster--Times : Swimming: Huntington Beach senior doesn’t lose much, but challenges, and maybe records, await in section backstroke competition.

Tom Westcott relaxed at the end of the pool, catching his breath after the 100-yard backstroke. Meanwhile, three coaches compared stopwatches as the other swimmers labored toward the finish line.

This race from the start was for second, and everyone knew it.

Finally, the coaches agreed on Westcott’s time: 51.78 seconds. It was a little more than a second off the Southern Section record and more than nine seconds ahead of second place.

Another race, another easy victory.

Sometimes it seems simple to Westcott, a senior at Huntington Beach High School. For more than two years he has dominated the backstroke on the high school level, winning back-to-back Southern Section 4-A championships.

Yet Westcott knows not to take the success for granted, especially this season. Tougher competition has kept thoughts of “three-peat” from entering his head.

“Everyone expects me to win all the time,” Westcott said. “It’s just not that easy. This year I’m going to have to work harder than before. This year is going to be a lot tougher.”

The number of quality swimmers in the 4-A backstroke has increased considerably this year. Besides Westcott, the event will feature Agoura’s Jason Stelle, who won the 2-A last year, and San Marino’s Daizo Matsuoka, who won the 3-A.

Agoura and San Marino were elevated to 4-A this season.

Stelle won the 2-A backstroke with a time of 50.87, the third fastest in the nation among high school swimmers. Westcott managed only a 51.49 in the 4-A meet, fifth in the nation.

The two are well-acquainted, having competed against each other many times in U.S. Swimming Federation events. Stelle finished ahead of Westcott in the spring senior nationals this month.

Matsuoka transferred to San Marino from Damien this year. Last season, he had a time of 51.70 at the 3-A meet.

“I don’t know who’s going to win the race, but whoever does will set a Southern Section record,” Westcott said. “Maybe even a national (high school) record.”

Steve Barnicoat of Mission Viejo set the Southern Section record of 50.68 in 1980. Mark Rhodenbaugh of Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati holds the national record of 49.76, which he set in 1982.

Westcott, who has signed a letter of intent with California, made the section record his No. 1 goal this season. He also thinks the national record is in reach, now that the U.S. Swimming Federation has adopted a new turn in the backstroke.

Swimmers now are allowed to roll over just before reaching the wall to make their turn.

“That’s the great thing about the backstroke, it’s always more innovative than the other events,” Westcott said.

But there have been problems with the new turn.

High school officials have viewed it differently from their U.S. Swimming Federation counterparts. They have disqualified several swimmers, including Westcott at the boys’ Southern Section Relays, for making illegal turns.

The officials were less strict at the girls’ relays two weeks ago.

“I think it’s going to get worked out,” Westcott said. “I haven’t had any problems in weeks.”

Controversial or not, the new turn has been effective. Westcott has dropped his time since he began using the technique.

At a club meet in January, he swam a 50.07 in the 100.

“I really think I have a shot at going below the section record,” Westcott said. “But that doesn’t mean I am going to win. I’m up against some pretty good people this year. We may all break the section record.”

Still, there is one thing in Westcott’s favor.

“I hate to lose,” he said.

That attitude has helped propel Westcott to the top.

He got a late start as a swimmer. He didn’t join the Golden West Swim Club until he was 12, an age when most competitive swimmers already have thousands of yards of workouts behind them.

Even then, he didn’t get serious about the sport until high school.

“I think my mom got me started in competitive swimming to keep me busy,” Westcott said. “It was fun, but I didn’t think I was very good at it. I remember my first race mainly because I was so slow.”

The one event he was able to hold his own in was the backstroke.

“Backstrokers were always considered different,” Westcott said. “We trained differently and I like that.”

As a freshman, Westcott was good enough to qualify for the 4-A meet. However, he failed to make the championship final and finished a distant sixth in the consolation final.

The summer between his sophomore and junior years, Westcott hit a growth spurt that improved his strength.

At 6 feet 5 and 170 pounds, he appears somewhat awkward on land, as if his body were stretched on the rack. However, he knifes through the water and his long arms provide a powerful stroke.

Westcott began dominating high school meets as a sophomore and won the 4-A championship with a time of 51.57. He repeated last season, dropping his time to 51.49.

“When Tom sprouted as a sophomore, he took charge of the Southern Section,” Huntington Beach Coach Robert Williams said. “There aren’t many high school swimmers who can stay with him.”

That kind of talk makes Westcott uncomfortable, even nervous.

“Sometimes winning is easy,” he said. “But it’s not going to always be easy.”