Fly Guy: Manteca Senior Espinoza Swims Toward New Horizons
By ELISE DELEO
The tower
Waves ripple across the surface of the pool. Teammates cheer from the edge as athletes in the water give it their all.
As Rowdy Gaines, an Olympic swimmer and coach, once said: “Consistency beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
Swimming isn’t just about talent. Sometimes, the difference between first and second place is grit and tenacity. Manteca High senior Peter Espinoza manages to combine both – talent and hard work.
Swimming since the age of 8, Espinoza is the fastest swimmer on the Manteca High swim team, and in a few short weeks, will leave a legacy of determination and inspiration for his younger teammates.
The most complicated swim for many swimmers is his specialty. The butterfly stroke is tiring, technical, but even more challenging and rewarding at the end of the race. With a rhythmic balance, Espinoza thrusts forward in the water, his arms circling before diving into point. Behind him, his legs, pressed together into one fin, propel him forward with one mighty kick.
Espinoza has goals to achieve and his first-year coaches, Michelle Berber and Cynthia Valdez, know that.
“He’s always focused. He comes every day to practice. He tries his best. He is a great swimmer, a great leader,” Berber said. “He is just great all around.”
Being a good athlete is not only about performance. It’s a mentality and even when he plans to stop swimming competitively, Espinoza will keep what he learned in his career forever.
“He is a great person, a great asset on the team, and I’m sure that he will do great things in his life,” Berber said.
The Tower caught up with Espinoza, slowing down Manteca’s fastest swimmer just long enough, to learn more about an outstanding swimmer on the path of graduation.
The Tower: How would you explain your experience as a student athlete in High School?
Peter Espinoza: It was pretty chill and flexible. If I had to do something after practice, I could just tell my coach. In other sports it is usually practice before anything else. I enjoyed the fact that I was able to mix studying and sport with the rest of my life. I wasn’t stressed or too serious, I could just enjoy my sport.
TT: Do you have any regrets about swimming at all?
PE: No, not really. I think how everything played out in my swim career here has been fun and I enjoyed it. I don’t think I would change anything.
TT: What are go going to miss about your team?
PE: I’m going to miss the people. We had so much fun together. It’s just an enjoyable environment to be around everybody over here.
TT: What would you like to say to your coaches and teammates?
Manteca High School senior Peter Espinoza swimming a 100m butterfly, considered one of the most complicated races but which remains his favorite event (Dave Campbell/The Tower)
PE: I would say thank you to all 4 of my coaches and my teammates. They were all really helpful, fun, and I had a really great time with them. Thank you for the time we spent together.
TT: What are you thinking about this year’s VOLs?
PE: I am kind of sad but excited. That would be the last meet I will do in high school and maybe at all so, yes, definitely nostalgic. I am sure that it would be a lot of fun just hanging out with the team and the swim banquet at the end of the year.
TT: Are you planning to go to college and swim there?
PE: I am not planning on going to college, but I do plan on swimming in the future. It's really something that I love and that clears my mind, so even if I might not compete anymore, I will continue swimming. Next year, I want to go to the reserves, the military.