Owen Weber and A Life of Swimming By Peter Leary

SEATTLE-Weber might just have been the perfect last name for person like Owen Weber. Weber has been swimming for over twelve years and always seemed to have the hang of it. His natural ability at swim only became more apparent when he came to O’Dea.

Weber has been swimming for what seems like all his life, but for him O’Dea was something new. It was different from club because of the energy.

“O’Dea culture is just so much different than club, the brotherhood is there, the energy… you’re trying to touch the wall like you’re fighting for your brothers,” Weber said

That energy is something unique that happens at O’Dea. The practices are hard. However the brotherhood and the tradition that O’Dea brings to the table is something special which is something Weber had to learn through his time at O’Dea.

Weber has swum all four years with the O’Dea swim team and is now a Captain in his senior season. He came into O’Dea freshman year and was already putting up times that would earn him a varsity letter and a trip to the state meet. But he had already expected that. What he hadn't was the team culture being unlike anything that he had ever experienced before.

“It’s just a whole different feel of swimming… to see your brothers improving and learning the sport.”

Then something happened that no one on the team had ever dealt with before. COVID-19 shut everything down in 2021. This came at a special time for Weber as he was going from an underclassman to an upperclassman. With that, expectations rose not only for his performances but also the expectation to help lead the team.

“Last year was my first year as a upperclassman, but we didn’t have any meets so it was hard to bring the energy… It taught me encouraging your brothers and putting your best foot forward was the best for the team.”

Taking after the examples set forth by former teammates like Jasper Saxton and Jack McGrath the energy seems to be back for the O’Dea swim team. The team now boasts a 4-0 record, thanks, in part, to Weber’s efforts. His main events, the 100 yard Individual Medley and 100 yard Backstroke, help the team bring in much needed points.

The team has an excess in Freestylers. The team also has help in the Butterfly with Paco Palacian and Breaststroke with Jack Skarda and Aidan Schutte. With Weber’s contributions he is the key that has won O’Dea as many meets as it has.

“I really want to get some state times under my belt…It’s a weird goal because I’ve done it at a club meet before I just need to do it again at an O’Dea meet…it feels a little better as a goal because I know I can physically do it.”

Often times in swimming the faster times come at the end of the season. Metros is famous for being a quick pool where kids have been known to lay down fast times. With that one would assume that the kids would know how to stay calm in the moment and be able to perform to the best of their abilities.

But every athlete isn’t as stone cold as they may appear on the outside. The same goes for Weber even though he has dove off a block thousands of times in his lifetime. The nerves will always creep in no matter how many times you’ve done it.

But it’s not the fact that they’re there, it’s what you do to deal with that’s important.

“I always get nervous, I always feel the pit in my stomach…I always just take three big deep breaths and whatever the outcome it’s what the outcome is, the best I can do is just for the team.”

Weber didn’t start swimming at O’Dea. He’d been swimming for years before that. But the person he will be at the end of his O’Dea career will be different then the one that started because of the energy and culture of the O’Dea Swim Team.