VC men win WSC swimming title

April 19, 2014

Inspired by coach's cancer battle, team relies on group effort

VALLEY GLEN — Larry Baratte’s gray silicon bracelet read, “We’re in this together.”

And that’s how his Ventura College men’s swimming team won one of the most satisfying championships of his career.

All 11 Pirates and five relay teams qualified for championship heats and therefore earned points in all 34 swims as VC unexpectedly regained its conference title by edging second-place Cuesta, 615-585, at the Western State Conference championships Saturday at Los Angeles Valley College.

“With as few numbers as we had, we had to have a perfect meet and they were pretty close to it,” Baratte said. “They realized what the challenge was and they stepped up. I’m real proud of them.”

Ventura, which lost its 10-year grip on the WSC to Cuesta a year ago, made it 11 WSC titles in 12 years, despite entering the three-day meet as the third seed and winning just three events.

“I honestly thought maybe second would be (the best-case scenario),” Baratte said. “I was very pleased. The first morning I thought something special was happening ... and it all broke from there.”

The team rallied together under trying circumstances. Diagnosed with brain cancer in September, Baratte, as usual, alternated between diligently coaching and anxiously pacing throughout the meet.

There was no way to tell he was in the final day of his monthly five-day chemotherapy treatment and, therefore, wasn’t able to get out of bed until 1 p.m.

“It changed everything and our numbers were smaller this year,” sophomore Shea O’Shea said. “I think that we got a lot closer as a team this year, under the circumstances.

“Coach’s condition inspired us all and gave us more motivation to push ourselves. We all wanted to decade this season to coach. ... I think it’s amazing that he’s even out here.”

Baratte was voted WSC Coach of the Year, but he shared the honor with his assistants, Mary Giles and Tim Settem, who guided every VC entrant through morning preliminaries.

“We had a lot of challenges,” Baratte said. “Mary and Tim did an outstanding job. It really took a team effort of the staff. ... We couldn’t do it without them.”

Based by seeding, VC was expected to tie for third, but it surprisingly brought a 34-point lead into the final day of competition.

Freshman Christopher Sands won the 200-yard butterfly in 1:52.51, less than a half-second off WSC record pace.

“We all stuck together and worked together,” Sands said.

VC earned 60 points in the 100-yard freestyle. Nick Vallejo was second (45.39), Mitchell Ongstad was third (46.18), Shea O’Shea was fourth (47.47) and Alec Kruse was seventh (48.02).

Joe Yamamoto and Rodrigo Siracusa finished fourth (2:09.92) and fifth (2:17.02) in the 200 breaststroke. Kyle Berg and Renan Mendes finished fourth and fifth in the 200 backstroke.

A day after winning the women’s 50 backstroke, Ventura freshman Abbey Brooks finished second in the 100 backstroke in 1:01.71.

“I wasn’t expecting that at all,” Brooks said. “It’s been rough, but it’s definitely been a rewarding (season).”

By the time the meet-ending 400-yard freestyle relay arrived, Mitchell Ongstad, Kyle Berg, Alex Kruse and O’Shea needed only to avoid disqualification.

When they touched third, Baratte turned to his son Collin and said, “They did it.”

“It’s been easily the most trying year,” said Baratte, who was devastated earlier this month by the news that his former student-athlete, Ventura educator Chris Prewitt, had been struck and killed by a car while jogging. “It’s been beyond ...”

Presented with an opportunity to celebrate, Baratte decided to let loose. Upon being announced as champions, the Pirates leapt into the pool together, a celebration Baratte normally reserves for state championships.

“I’m going against tradition here,” Baratte said before the big splash. “But they deserve it.”