David Garcia Headed to #1

"I saw him and knew I had to have him for swimming!"

By Destiny Reicher

Garcia looks at his coach right after hitting the wall in his
50 free.  Photo Courtesy Coach McCullough.

With having no experience swimming competitively before high school, it is rare to even place in regionals.

"Most kids that swim are club swimmers, he's home grown, they all are which is pretty rare actually," Said Coach Emily McCullough.

Photo Courtesy Coach McCullough.

For senior David Garcia this is a very intense time, it's his senior year, and this is his last state competition. He's got nothing to lose except his first place spot in 50 free by only .30 seconds right in front of Marshall Wietharn a junior at Blue Valley North.

As a freshman Garcia had never swum competitively which surprised everyone, as he went to state contributing to a top 20 placement in a 200 free relay team along with a 400 free relay team, which placed in the top 20 as well.


Garcia joined the swim team the winter of 2014 just to dive, but coach McCullough was set out to change his mind as she says.

"He was a crazy, kamikaze kind of kid, I saw him and knew I had to have him for swimming," Said McCullough.

David is also set out to place top ten in 100 free being in 5th place with an astonishing time of 48.34 seconds. 

Photo Courtesy Coach McCullough.

Along with McCullough, the rest of West High is ready to see how this all plays out on this Friday, February 15th through Saturday February 17th.

"These boys just really killed themselves to get there to state," said McCullough.

Photo Courtesy Coach McCullough.