The captain of the Jesuit Tigers swim team is also in tight competition for class salutatorian.
By TERRY JONES
Published October 17, 2003
HUNTER'S GREEN - Kevin Hug begins and ends his day without sunlight. The 17-year-old Jesuit High senior gets up by 5 a.m. to be in the weight room by 6.
As captain of the undefeated Jesuit Tigers swim team, he has responsibilities.
"Kevin is like having another coach helping me," Jesuit coach Bill Shaffer said. "He took it upon himself to form a car pool for the younger swimmers in order to pick them up and drive them to school for weight training at 6 a.m."
In addition to his academic studies, Hug finishes each day with an hour or two of swimming practice, cutting his times and improving his technique. His goal is simple: to lead Jesuit to another winning season.
Then it's back to the books until he goes to sleep.
Since he was 7, the Hunter's Green teen has been involved in swimming. Now he's one of the top swimmers in Hillsborough County.
He does best in the 100-meter backstroke and does better than average in the 100 freestyle. He currently has a time of 55.1 seconds in the backstroke but wants to get below 55 before the district tournament on Wednesday.
"With some top swimmers back from last year and a great class of exceptionally fast freshmen, we have a great team this year," Hug said. "The freshmen are so talented and motivated, they need very little direction or encouragement."
One of the goals for Hug and his teammates is to return as a top 10 boys team in Class A - the classification for Florida's smallest high schools, and the toughest classification in Florida swimming.
The competition in Florida's Class A includes boarding schools such as Jacksonville Bolls and Fort Lauderdale Pinecrest, which have top swimmers from around the country and around the globe.
"Many years, the top Class A team in Florida is ranked tops in the U.S.," Hug said. "To win the state championship, we will have to beat the national champions. Top 10 is possible, though. With all the strong freshman, Jesuit just might move into the top five in the next couple years."
In addition to swimming his personal events, Hug helps on all three relays. But by the time of the district tournament, he'll be in only two relays and will stay that way through the state meet.
"Kevin is so versatile, he helps the team any place we need him for a particular meet," Shaffer said.
Hug can see the end of his high school years approaching. "I will miss the swim team," he said.
Academically, Hug is near the top of his class with all A's. He's in tight competition for class salutatorian at Jesuit.
His courses and grades make him eligible for most American colleges. Brown University in the Ivy League is one of the top colleges on his list.
"Kevin will certainly be missed next year," Shaffer said. "He has been a standout in everything he has done in four years."
That includes his 6-foot-6 frame.
"Some college coach is going to be real happy with Kevin," Shaffer said.
