Friday, February 09, 2001
St. Xavier's Cramer craves more swim titles
By Dave Schutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The list of All-American high school swimmers who have led St. Xavier to 22 state titles since 1970 is impressive. Heading the group are Joe Hudepohl, Mike Andrews, Craig Wales, Shawn Trokan and Dod Wales. Jayme Cramer is ready to join that list.
An 18-year-old senior who has commited to Stanford University, Cramer is expected to repeat as the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke state champion in Canton, Ohio later this month.
Cramer also will swim on the Bombers' 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams, which will be favored to win state titles.
If Cramer comes through with state championships in these four events, he will graduate with five individual and five relay state titles.
“Ohio has had some great swimmers over the years and Jayme ranks with the best of them,” coach Ed Bachman said. “He was the top college recruit in the U.S. this year because he can swim so many events.”
Growing up in Springfield, Va., Cramer played soccer and baseball. He became involved in swimming after his father, Rusty, convinced him the sport would build endurance for soccer.
“I was either eight or nine years old when I started swimming for a local team in Springfield,” Cramer said. “We moved to Cincinnati (Anderson Township) the next year and that's when I got heavily involved.”
The Cramer family joined the M/E. Lyons YMCA where coach Eric Bressinger immediately recognized the talented 10-year-old.
Bachman described Cramer as a self-motivated athlete who's very focused and mature enough to make sacrifices needed to be successful.
Practice schedules for swimmers aren't easy.
Cramer arrives at the YMCA three mornings a week at 5 a.m. for a one-hour and forty-minute workout. He practices five days a week from 3:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. before working out in the weight room for 45 minutes.
“I probably swim 40-to-50 miles a week,” Cramer, an honor roll student at St. X, said. “I'm never in extreme pain during workouts, and I try to eat properly and get a lot of rest.”
Bachman was caught off guard during Christmas workouts when he was criticized by Cramer for not working him hard enough.
“It would be hard to say that Jayme is the most talented swimmer I've coach but I've never had one work harder in 20 years,” Bachman said.
During Cramer's one-period daily break at school, he spends time tutoring students in math. He says the reward is watching those he has helped improve.
Another goal for Cramer is to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team in 2004.
“That would be a great time for Jayme because the ideal age for men swimmers to peak is 21 and that's where he'll be in four years,” Bachman said.
If Cramer and company prevail at state, it will be the Bombers 10th state championship since 1990.
After the state swimming meet on Feb. 23 and 24, Cramer will compete in the Senior Nationals in Austin, Texas, followed a week later by the YMCA Nationals in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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St. Xavier's Cramer craves more swim titles
