As the swimmers take their mark on their starting platforms and prepare for the race to start, the audience goes silent while swimmers enter their starting blocks. One wrong move and the swimmers could be disqualified for a false start. AJ Gomez, an 18-year-old senior swimmer for the Lakota East Swim team, has been swimming since he was eight and has mastered his block start.
Unlike the other swimmers on the Lakota teams, Gomez is homeschooled through a program called Abeka Academy and has been enrolled with them his whole life. Being homeschooled allows him to focus more time and energy on swimming, maximizing his abilities.
Gomez swims not only on the East team, but he also has been swimming with the Powel Crosley Jr. Tigersharks (PCY) ever since his childhood. His older sister, Isabelle, first influenced him to begin swimming when he watched her swim meets as a kid.
“My sister started in the summer league and brought all of my siblings along with her,” Gomez told Spark. “She’s also on a Division one scholarship to Liberty University.”
Due to his strong support system and his passion for the sport, Gomez has had many successes while swimming. His dad, Alex Gomez, has been his most influential supporter. He left him with the motto “work first, play later,” which has stuck with him ever since.
“‘Work first, play later’ is a family motto we’ve instilled in AJ and all his siblings,” Alex told Spark. “His mother and I always felt that extracurricular activities were a privilege, not a right.”
Before AJ is allowed to participate in his activities like sports or hobbies, he must complete all schoolwork and any chores around the house. Alex feels that these expectations mirror real life, especially while trying to prepare AJ for college.
“It’s a skill best learned early and often, and it’s helped AJ stay focused on his priorities while still enjoying his passions,” said Alex.
Due to the work ethic instilled in AJ from a young age, several of his coaches and peers around him point out how he is a strong leader and has a serious passion for the sport. Lakota swim coach Dennis Beck has been AJ’s coach for the last four years and has appreciated his dedication to the sport.
“AJ is a quiet leader who leads by swimming fast and doing what you need to do to get better,” Beck told Spark. “[His] dedication to getting faster and helping team relays place as high as possible in the competition is a positive of having AJ on the team.”
AJ attributes his success to his coach Ben Hongell, who helped him overcome mental challenges and perfect his swimming techniques.
“Coach Ben Hongell [has been very influential]. I was in a slump early in my Junior year and he would work one on one with me,” said AJ. “He would record my stroke times and critique it. He also helped me a lot with my mentality and how I talked to myself.”
AJ’s best and favorite stroke is the butterfly. He has a record of 49.52 in the 100-meter butterfly (fly) race and has the fastest time in that event in the Greater Miami Conference (GMC). AJ will continue his swimming career at Northern Kentucky University on a scholarship after high school and has many goals set for his future.
“My goal is to win an event at their conference championship,” said AJ. “I also want to be the state champion in my last high school season.”
Along with the record in the 100-fly race, AJ also has several other awards. He has been first team all-conference three times, is the school record holder in 100-fly and 200 free relays, has the Princeton pool record for 200 free relay, and placed eigth in the 100-fly at the State championship as a junior.
AJ emphasizes how important it is to physically prepare for meets. A couple of days before the meet, he makes sure to get 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night. During the day, he carb loads with foods like pasta, making sure to drink water and electrolytes as well.
“I keep my warmup the same every meet and I’ll stay warm with layers before I swim,” said AJ.
AJ’s parents also make sure they help him with all his race times and make sure his performances are consistent. His preparation for upcoming races is their priority.
“I support him by cooking his meals and ensuring they are both calorie-appropriate and meet his nutritional needs. His mother helps by tracking his times and ensuring he is where he needs to be when he needs to be there,” said Alex. “We also encourage him to set goals, stay focused, and balance his responsibilities. Together, we strive to create an environment where he can thrive both in and out of the pool.”
In the end, it all comes down to his team at East. He has close-knit bonds with all of his teammates and coaches and loves being a part of a school team, even though he does not attend classes there. They motivate and push each other to work hard and strive for perfection.
“[I love] my teammates and the supportive coaching. I especially love my relay team,” said AJ. “We’re always on each other to work hard and get better and we swim for each other.”