The junior swims well, cheers on teammates and encourages kids and fellow high schoolers.
By STEVE LEE
Published October 29, 2003
LAND O'LAKES - Homesick and aloof after her family moved down from Delaware before her sophomore season, Gulf's Jessica Lampkin competed but mostly kept to herself.
Land O'Lakes' Chris Obara, among the most outgoing of county swimmers, approached Lampkin during a dual meet in 2001, determined to welcome the reserved newcomer into the sport's fraternity.
"She was sitting by herself and wearing her Team Delaware clothing and not talking to anyone," Obara recalled. "I just sat down next to her and started talking until she talked back."
Lampkin, who last week won district titles in the 50-yard freestyle and 100 free and swam on Gulf's winning 200 medley relay team, credits Obara with bringing her out of her shell.
"He forced me to be his friend," said Lampkin, Obara's club teammate on TBay of New Port Richey. "He just wouldn't leave me alone.
"He's like my social coordinator."
Land O'Lakes coach Robin Hilgenberg has heard plenty of stories like that. She also has watched approvingly as Obara, a junior who coaches grade-school swimmers for TBay, had lent a hand to teammates.
"He's a great kid to have on the team," Hilgenberg said. "He's concerned about what the other kids feel. He tries to keep them motivated.
"If he ever notices someone's upset he's been known to pull them aside and boost their morale."
On Saturday at the Long Center in Clearwater, Obara showed up to voice his support for county swimmers during the Class 2A, District 5 meet. Two days earlier, he swam for Land O'Lakes in the 2A-8 meet at the New Tampa YMCA.
So what was Obara doing there when his team already had competed in districts?
"These are all the kids I swim with year-round, so I wanted to come support them," Obara said.
Heading into last week's district meets, Obara held the fastest times in the county in six events, including two relays. In the 2A-8 meet, Obara won the 200 individual medley and was a runner-up in the 100 butterfly. He also swam on two runner-up relay teams that qualified for states, the 200 medley and 400 free.
This will be Obara's second trip to state. Last year he qualified in the 200 medley and 400 free relays; neither placed in the top 20.
Swimming individually at state, Obara said, will alleviate some of the pressure of being part of a relay team.
"I'm much more comfortable," he said. "I know what I can do. In relays there's a lot more pressure, because you have to rely on someone else."
Win or lose, Obara appreciates competing at such a high level and with good friends.
"You can never forget that it's a competition, but you have to remember that there's more to swimming," he said. "You make friends that you're going to keep your whole life."
