There is a choice, at a very early age, that swimmers have to make when it comes to which of their water sports they’d like to focus on.
Some kids choose swimming. Others choose diving.
Whichever one they pick, if they’re serious about the sport, they then spend thousands and thousands of hours working at it, perfecting their technique, in the hopes of making it one day to their state meet.
It takes incredible dedication and discipline to get there.
Then there’s a kid like Andrew Simons of Herricks. The guy just made states in both.
That’s right. In a feat as rare as a Michael Phelps loss in his prime, the senior who’s bound for MIT (and, oh yeah, is also a world-class violinist) qualified for state swimming in three events with his team and a few days prior qualified in the 1M dive as well.
So, at the state meet in Ithaca on March 7-8, Simons, a senior, will compete in the 100-meter backstroke and the 1-meter dive event.
The last Long Islander to do this was Greg Mader in 2022, but it hardly ever happens.
“The kid is unreal,” Herricks head swim coach Joe Mauro said. “He essentially went from zero to states in one year in diving. That’s incredible to do.”
“It was such a rush when I finally made it (in diving),” Simons said. “When I thought about trying to do this a year ago, this was what I was hoping for.”
Simons, whose older sister Kailey was an all-state swimmer at Herricks and is now swimming at MIT (there are clearly a bunch of underachievers in this family), began this crazy journey about 11 months ago.
As a little kid, Simons enjoyed both swimming and diving equally, starting at age 6 with the Long Island Aquatic Club. By age 11, Simons excelled in both, and he knew he had to choose which to focus on since the time commitment in competitive swimming or diving is immense.
So, he chose swimming and set about becoming one of Herricks’ finest. But the allure of the board stayed with him.
After swim season in 2024 ended in February, Simons felt a bit in a rut.
“I’d see my old diving coach (George Taylor III) working with divers while I was swimming, and I felt like I was burned out and overworked in the pool,” Simons said. And one day, George said to me that if I ever wanted to come back to diving, he’d love to coach me.”
So, starting from scratch, Simons set about re-learning how to dive. It took a ton of practice and lots of trial and error, but slowly, he got better.
It all led up to the county diving meet on Feb. 5. Simons stepped onto the board for his last attempt, knowing he needed 27 more points to clinch a spot at state.
He nailed it, finishing with a score of 480, and now will be the busiest man in Ithaca.
After recounting his journey, Simons was asked the $64,00 question: What is he now, a swimmer or a diver?
“I’m a diver who swims, not a swimmer who dives,” he declared with a laugh.
In addition to Simons’ incredible feat, Herricks had a very successful county meet as well on Feb. 8; the Highlanders placed state qualifiers in every event save one (the 500 freestyle). The state meet will be March 7-8 in Ithaca.
Matt Chang, the most dominant sprinter on Long Island, made states in four individual events: the 50 free (where his time of 20.98 is second-best in N.Y. state this year), the 100 free and the 200 free, and the 100 butterfly, while being a part of the 200 free relay team that qualified; Andrew’s brother Matthew Simons, who made states in the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke) and Caiden Chang, who qualified in the 100 breast. Herricks’ 400 free relay 200 medley, and 200 free relay teams of the Simons brothers, Matt Chang and Tyler Ip, also qualified.
It was a very successful meet for the Manhasset boys as well; coming off their second consecutive conference championship, Set broke four school records
In the 200 medley relay, the 200 free relay, the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke) and is sending seven swimmers to states. Manhasset finished second to Syosset in the team competition.
Senior Henry Ma led the way by qualifying in four events: the 200 IM, the 500 freestyle, and the 100 breaststroke.
“The team as a whole surpassed my expectations,” Ma said. “In my events, I didn’t finish at the top, and I think my 200 IM can improve, but I’m very excited to make it in all three individual events I tried.”
Andrew Koek also made it in three events, with a second-place finish in the 200 IM and third in the 100 breast, as well as being on the 200 medley relay team.
Ryan Dissanayake and Ryan Lombard both made it as well, as part of relays, as did Warren Peng, making it in the 200 medley relay and two individual events (500 freestyle, 100 backstroke). Brendan So qualified in two relays and the 100 butterfly.
Theodore Shum rounded out Manhasset’s qualifiers, making it in two relays and the 50 freestyle.
