Dennison Swimmer of the Year

Dennison domination

PORT ORANGE -- Call it the Curse of Being Too Good.

Great athletes, particularly in individual sports, have come across the "syndrome" usually when they're young: They're so good at their particular game there's no one in their hometown area who can really push them.

So laziness can set in.

George Dennison faced that problem this year. The Father Lopez swimmer is head, shoulders, feet and any other body part above any boys competitor in the area.

It wasn't just the Lopez boys who couldn't challenge Dennison. Nobody at the Daytona Beach Speed, by far the best swim club in the area, was able to make him sweat, either.

For that reason, Speed coach Steve Lochte marveled at what the senior was able to accomplish this year.

"When you're basically swimming by yourself, it's so easy to get relaxed and let your times fall off dramatically," Lochte said. "But George didn't do that. He found motivation inside himself."

Because Dennison excelled throughout the year, and once again made a splash at the state championships, finishing fifth in the 200 free and fourth in the 100 free, he's a repeat winner as the Boys Swimmer of the Year.

He's the first non-Creek repeat winner since Daniel Cruz of Flagler Palm Coast, in 1998-99.

"Honestly, it's always in the back of my mind to not slack off, whether I'm in practice or wherever," Dennison said before a recent practice at the Port Orange YMCA. "Because especially while I was thinking about colleges, I realized that every time I swim, someone could be watching that may be important to my future. So that motivated me above everything."

Dennison was probably right to do that, since colleges were definitely watching. As it turned out, he simply followed the pipeline northwest from Daytona Beach to the powerhouse program at the University of Florida, where for the past decade head coach Gregg Troy has been happily accepting, then training, swimmers from the area.

Joining the likes of former Swimmers of the Year Dustin McLarty, Rex Tullius and some kid named Ryan Lochte, Dennison will try to become an NCAA champion for the Gators and, perhaps, follow their footsteps into the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials.

"That's really where I wanted to go. My dad was coached by Gregg Troy when he coached at (Jacksonville) Bolles, so there was always that connection," Dennison said. "I've gotten to train a little bit with the older guys (who went to Florida) from here, and I really can't wait to be a part of it."

While he was still in high school, Dennison excelled once again this fall. He dominated the area competition, easily advancing to states through the district and regional competitions in 1A. While at states, he said he didn't swim "quite as fast" as he could have, going 1:42.06 in the 200 free and 46.93 in the 100.

Still, both times were good enough for All-American consideration.

Now, Dennison wants more.

"I think about 2012 and the Trials; that's definitely a long-term goal," he said. "But I realize how tough it's going to be at UF. I know training with those great swimmers I'll get faster."

And he won't have to worry anymore about no one being as good as he his. There are lots of great swimmers at UF.

michael.lewis@news-jrnl.com