Rodela Setting Sights on Olympic Prize

His high school coach calls him a really nice guy who will do what you ask of him at swim meets. His club coach called him one of the hardest workers in his senior group. But the only thing Juan Rodela wants to be remembered for is his relentless pursuit to represent his native Mexico in the 2000 Olympics.

Rodela, 17, a senior exchange student at Mission Viejo High, came to the United States two years ago from his home town of Zacateras.

At a recent meet at the Margarite Swim Center in Mission Viejo, Rodela became reflective as he looked over the nicely groomed homes and the facility that has been the training center for some of the best swimmers in the world.

“Look at this,” Rodela said, as he swept his arm across the landscape. “I’m not what you’d call a rich guy. I have two sponsors and a great host family. So to have the chance to come up here and train with what I think is the greatest swim club in the world . . . I can’t begin to tell you how fortunate I feel.”

While under the scrutiny of his two sponsors, the Federauon del Clubes Zacatecanos and the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Rodela must continue to meet with the agencies to maintain his funding.

“It’s not like some of the foreign athletes we have swimming here,” said Mission Viejo Nadadores Swim Coach Bill Rose, who has been Rodela’s coach since he arrived. “Just the other day, I had to fill out some papers to send to one of [Rodela’s] sponsors. And then, he had to drive down to L.A. to meet with this committee. So there’s a lot of things he needs to do to remain eligible for the aid he’s getting.”

Nevertheless, Rose said Rodela has maintained his training schedule and keeps a very positive attitude.

“Juan’s great,” Mission Viejo High Coach Mike Pelton said. “He’s always willing to help the team out. It doesn’t matter what we ask of him. He’s a team player.”

The Kehoes of Mission Viejo are Rodela’s host family. Besides Rodela, they also house Polish swimmer and exchange student Slawoir Richter. The Kehoes have been a host family for exchange swimmers the last four years.

“It’s been a pleasure to have Juan with us,” Candy Kehoes said. “He’s very polite and courteous. But I have to tell you he works out very hard at the pool. He trains six to seven days a week. Most mornings he has to be there at 5. And then after school at 2:30 in the afternoon, so he’s very committed to his sport.”

A backstroke specialist, Rodela swam senior national times in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke at Junior Nationals last month. His time in the 100 was 50.5; in the 200 1:49.08.

His time of 53.23 at Saturday’s Mission Viejo Invitational is the second fastest in the county this season.

And although Philippe Demers of Santa Margarita has recorded the fastest time (51.58) in that stroke this season, Rodela still might be the favorite in the event at the Southern Section Division I finals next month.

“I guess it depends on what Philippe does,” Rodela said. “But I would think that Philippe would swim his best events, which are the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly.”

Last year at the Southern Section finals, Rodela finished second behind senior and then-high school and club teammate Karl Hyross in the 100 backstroke.

After graduating, Rodela plans to attend an area community college for a semester and then transfer to a four-year college for the spring term. Rodela said Arizona State has expressed interest.

As for his Olympic aspirations, Rodela believes he will qualify for the Mexican team. Like the United States, Mexico holds an Olympic trials to determine its team.

Rose said Rodela is considered a young swimmer at 17. And within the next couple of years, as Rodela matures, Rose thinks Rodela is capable of becoming one of Mexico’s top swimmers.

“My goal has always been to make the Mexican Olympic team,” Rodela said. “I know it’s going to be hard and will require a lot of work, but this has been a dream of mine and my family for a long time.”