Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Eli Bocacao

Senior Eli Bocacao’s leadership style is derived organically and allows his teammates to be themselves. “The team captains may be the program’s leaders, but Eli is the heart,” says head swimming coach Erik Enslen. Eli’s personality and continued improvement have helped push the co-op swim team to a position to capture the conference meet this weekend, which is why he is the Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Swimming was a family affair for Eli, as his cousins, Kenneth Segovia and Nathan Aranda, started swimming competitively and encouraged Eli to do the same. “Eli witnessed their dedication, helping him take competitive swimming more seriously, which eventually sparked a newfound passion,” says Arlene and Arvin, Eli’s parents.

The opportunity to compete for his high school elevated Eli to push his game even further. “I decided I wanted to become as fast and work as hard as possible to be the best version of myself,” says Eli. He continues, saying, “Swimming for my club felt more individualized, but when I started competing for my school, it gave competing more of a purpose.”

Competing in the 100-yard fly and 100-yard backstroke, Eli has done everything he can to improve himself over the past four years. “Eli has grown from a quiet and reserved person to a motivational force within the team,” says Erik. He continues, “Eli has dropped his time significantly over the past four years, improving by 13 seconds in the butterfly and shaving 11 seconds off his backstroke time.”

Eli’s individual goals show his commitment to the team. “I am willing to do whatever is necessary to help my team win, whatever role that might be,” says Eli. Prioritizing others is embedded in Eli’s DNA, with his parents saying, “Eli’s strongest characteristic is his kindness and integrity. He always manages to foster trust and connections with others, and finds a way to make things fun and keep the atmosphere light.”

The goal at the beginning of the season is to win the conference as a team, something they have not accomplished since Eli’s freshmen year. “Our goal has always been to win the conference, and we are more than capable of doing so,” says Erik. He continues, “Eli has been a strong part of our varsity lineup and continues to get better every time in the pool.”

Despite the heavy obligations of being a swimmer, Eli excels in the classroom and makes time to help others. “Eli has learned to be disciplined and resilient to find success, especially by enrolling in rigorous Honors and AP classes,” Arlene and Arvin say. They continue, saying, “He has given his time as a math and Spanish tutor, has volunteered his time as a swim manager for the girl’s swim team, and earned a 4.4 G.P.A. and earned the distinction of being on the high honor roll throughout high school. Eli was also named a State Scholar.”

Eli’s resume will provide him with numerous post-secondary opportunities. He has applied and been accepted to a few colleges but is still waiting to hear from a few more before making his selection. Eli intends to major in statistics and become a sports statistician, regardless of where he attends college. “Eli has had a genuine passion for sports since a young age and has always shown a “Rain Man” like ability to soak up all the statistics,” Arlene and Arvin say. They continued, “He has an analytical mind and considerable attention to detail, translating numbers into meaningful insights.”

Chris Spevak, Eli’s math teacher, believes in Eli’s potential in the field, saying, “Eli is bright, hardworking, consistently stays atop his work, and asks engaging questions in class. He is a great leader who works with groups and takes charge to help keep his group moving in the right direction. In my 11-year career as an educator and the past four years teaching AP Statistics, Eli is easily in the top 10% of the students I have taught. I can say with confidence that Eli will do very well in the field of statistics.”

As Eli’s tenure at OE comes to a close he can reflect on his successes and offer advice to future Wolves: “Try to take it easy on yourself and not stress about everything. You want to pursue and be passionate about things you are interested in, understanding not everything will always go your way. If you do fail, try to learn from it and have a growth mindset.” Eli’s mindset has not only helped set his team up for success for this weekend’s conference meet and the state sectional tournament and for future success after he graduates this spring.