Orinda Aquatics Swimmer Headed to US Nationals

Campolindo sophomore Steven Stumph has had success in his swimming career — for the Cougars at the high school level, and with his club team, Orinda Aquatics, which he's been a member of for the last three years.

This weekend, though, Steven will venture into unchartered waters, competing in the ConocoPhillips National Swimming Championships, which started Tuesday in Irvine.

While his events range from the 200 and 400 IM, as well as the butterfly, Steven will be swimming his main event, the 200 meter Breastroke, on Saturday.

"Steven had a very strong high school season, going 56.6 in the 100-yard breastroke," said Aquatics head coach Don Heidary, who founded Orinda Aquatics 17 years ago with his brother, Ron.  "Since then, his focus has been on the two meets coming up, Nationals and Junior Nationals."

That's because the U.S. Nationals, as it's referred, is one of the most competitive swim meets at any level.  There is no age limit involved, with most swimmers either currently or previously competing in the elite college ranks. 

"The times are extremely competitive," Heidary said. "Just short of Olympic Trial qualifying times."

After the National competition on Saturday, Steven will have no time to rest, as he and eight of his Aquatics teammates will be competing in the Junior Nationals starting Monday in Irvine.

While the Nationals has no age limit, the Junior Nationals host swimmers that are 18 years old and under.

"Again, the qualifying times are very competitive," Heidary said. "It is a very elite group."

Orinda Aquatics has had plenty of success over the years, sending approximately 15 swimmers to the National level, including Kim Vandenburg, who competed for the United States in the Preliminary 800M relay during the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

While success in the pool comes from the hard work and dedication the team puts in at the Soda Aquatic Center at Campolindo, Heidary is most proud of the type of character his swimmers display when they are outside of the pool.

The team's 2010 graduating class, in particular, is one the long-time coach is very proud of.

"This has been unequivocally the greatest 'character group' we have seen in thirty years (of coaching)."

All 19 of the team's graduating seniors are headed off to college, and 16 will be participating in college athletics, including Miramonte graduate Brooke Woodward (Emory University), a Swim and Academic High School All-American, and Campolindo graduate Rachel Cleak (High School All-American), who will join the team at Cal Poly-SLO.

"This team is driven by character," Heidary said, "It is a privilege to coach them."

Other swimmers at Juniors

Sven Campbell

Jill Jones

Courtney Whyte

Shebli Luchini

Andrea Ward

Jeffrey Strausser

Chris Leon 

Relay swimmers:

Rachel Cleak

Shannon Herman

Robbie Ashby

Brooke Woodward