"I wanted to leave with a bang," LiVolsi said. "I had four good years of swimming at the Prep, but I didn't have any real big performances in the Hudson County meets. So I figured this was it. I had to see what I could do and go hard at it."
Before the HCIAA meet recently at the Bayonne Community School, LiVolsi sat down with St. Peter's head swim coach Frank Thomsen to discuss strategy.
"He came in with a lineup and I said, 'Hey, I'm the coach here,'" Thomsen said. "But he really had some good ideas about what he wanted to do, so I listened."
One of them put LiVolsi in the 100-meter freestyle, which wasn't exactly his strength.
"He said, 'Put me in the 100 and I'll win,'" Thomsen said. "I told him that there was a chance he could lose, that he was facing two of the best sprinters in the county. But he insisted that there was no way he was going to lose." "I wanted to give myself the biggest challenge," LiVolsi said. "I knew the other swimmers were good and I knew that it wasn't exactly my best event. But I wanted to take on the best. I knew I could beat them if given the chance."
So LiVolsi took on John Krawczyk of Bayonne and Kirk Alaybeyoglu of St. Joseph of the Palisades, the top two 100-meter freestyle swimmers in the county. Sure enough, LiVolsi lived up to his promise and won.
"It was my best time in that event," LiVolsi said. "I just swam my race and won."
He didn't stop there. LiVolsi also captured the 200-meter freestyle, setting a new county record in the process. He swam with the Marauder 200-medley relay team (with LiVolsi swimming the backstroke) that also broke a county record. LiVolsi was also part of the gold-medal winning 400-meter freestyle relay.
In the process, LiVolsi led the Marauders to the overall team title with the four first-place finishes.
"That's more important in my eyes," LiVolsi said. "We won the team title. The whole team swam well. We had the best year Prep swimming ever had. I'm proud of that."
For his efforts, LiVolsi has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week. Thomsen couldn't stop singing the praises of his talented senior.
"He's one of the best swimmers that Prep has ever had or will see for the next 20 years," Thomsen said. "I have so much faith in him that I can put him in any event and he will win. There aren't a lot of swimmers who can compete with him. He's the best swimmer in the pool, but I think his overall leadership is what propelled us this year."
Thomsen said that LiVolsi's actions out of the pool were perhaps even more important than in the water.
"His leadership doesn't come only from what he says, but what he does," Thomsen said. "He built himself up to become a well-rounded swimmer. But outside of the pool, he talked to the guys in ways I never could. He would offer advice and encouragement. I would have to say that he was like having a coach in the pool."
Thomsen recalled the moments prior to the Marauders' recent NJSIAA state playoff meet against Seton Hall Prep.
"His leadership was invaluable," Thomsen said. "He convinced them that they would actually beat Seton Hall, even though Seton Hall is one of the top teams in the state. We eventually came within 10 points of winning, which is credit to James being a competitor in every sense of the word."
LiVolsi said that he doesn't do anything differently as a team captain.
"I just think it's my personality to be encouraging and trying to get the most of our team," LiVolsi said. "That's what a captain is supposed to do. As a senior and one of the better swimmers, I had to step up and get them all ready to go. The others seem to follow my lead. I guess I lead by example."
LiVolsi is also a leader in the classroom. He is ranked among the top graduating seniors and is hoping to attend Georgetown University in the fall, majoring in History and English with his eyes eventually focused on law school. The swim coach at Georgetown has shown some interest in LiVolsi. It could be a perfect fit. "It's what I'm hoping for," LiVolsi said.
Thomsen said that LiVolsi's final performance is one for the ages.
"It really was phenomenal," Thomsen said. "I would say that he came out with a purpose, like this is what he was supposed to do. If you had a chance to create a dream swimmer, this is who it would be."
LiVolsi said that he was proud of his achievements in his final meet.
"I really wanted to break the 200 (meter freestyle) record," LiVolsi said. "It was my goal going in. I hope that I am remembered for what I did, but more so for what the team did. I take more pride in the team."
However, it wasn't a bad way to go out.
"I couldn't be happier about it," LiVolsi said. "It was pretty special."
As for leaving a legacy, the Marauders have another LiVolsi waiting in the wings, namely sophomore Daniel.
Chances are that Daniel LiVolsi will try hard to follow in his older brother's footsteps.
- Jim Hague
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