The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Exchange student big part of success
Brazilian swimmer became one of Big Reds' best sprinters
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 22, 2007
When Brazilian exchange student Leandro (Leo) Gabrielzyk joined the Milan boys' swim team last October, he was expecting to meet some new friends, get in better shape and have to give up a lot of his free time.
Advertisement
But what he wasn't expecting was an experience that would change his life.
"It changes everything," Gabrielzyk said this week. "By the end, swimming isn't just a sport anymore. Swimming is a life."
It's a life that, Gabrielzyk was quick to point out included grueling 5 a.m. practices on both weekdays and Saturdays and giving up much of his Christmas break to continue training. But it's a life that, nonetheless, he wishes he could still enjoy.
"You give up your mornings, you give up your break, you can't go out on Fridays because you have to practice the next day," he said. "I didn't think I would miss it. But I do. I miss it."
It's a safe bet that his program and coach, Milan swim coach Dan Heikka, will miss him, as well. As a senior and exchange student, the 2006-2007 season was unfortunately Gabrielzyk's first and only one as a Big Red swimmer.
"I must have told Leo 15 times, I really wish he moved here freshman year," Heikka said. "He's a naturally talented swimmer. The progress he made over the course of one year was tremendous."
Gabrielzyk's season — in which he became one of the team's best sprinters and came within 22 hundredths-of-a-second of a state cut time in the 50 freestyle — is all the more impressive considering he had never swum competitively until joining the Big Reds. He swam recreationally growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, but had no swimming-specific plans when he convinced his parents to let his come to the United States as an exchange student.
After moving into the home of the Rowe family in Milan and attending Milan High School, Gabrielzyk heard about the strength of the school's swimming program and became interested. He spoke to Heikka, who told him he was more than welcome to join the team — if he was willing to put in the work.
Gabrielzyk admits that he "couldn't believe" he was agreeing to make a commitment to what would prove to be "the hardest thing I've ever done," he said. But over the course of the season, Gabrielzyk became more pleased with his decision, partly because of the growing camaraderie between himself and his teammates.
"At first, we were just guys swimming together," he said, "but by the end of the season, we all became pretty good friends."
He also grew to love the competition, so much so that when a planned vacation with his Brazilian family last month conflicted with the season-ending River Rat Invitational, Gabrielzyk backed out of the vacation for one last shot at making his state cut.
That effort fell just short, but Heikka said that shouldn't cloud the impact Gabrielzyk made on the team during the season.
"He really contributed to the season we had," Heikka said. "He didn't get to swim at the state meet, but when one person swims fast, it pushes everyone else to swim faster. And Leo swam fast all season. He was a great kid to coach."
While his Milan career is over, Gabrielzyk's overall swimming career might just be getting started. He said he is "excited" about the possibility of swimming competitively while attending college in Brazil and may be able to obtain a swimming scholarship.
For now, Gabrielzyk is taking on another athletic challenge –– he has joined the Milan track team — and he is already looking back fondly on his time with the Big Reds.
"Even with all the work we put in, when I think about the awards I won and the friends I made," he said, "it was worth it."
Not all stories are guaranteed to appear
online. The Web edition contains a reasonable
sampling of the print edition stories.
For the most complete news coverage, we invite you to
subscribe
to the print edition of the paper.
Expanded
Web
Coverage
Staff Blog, "Inside The Newsroom"
TOP JOBS
