Athlete of the Month: Russell Farchione

As a five-year-old swimmer on the Drumlins Country Club Swim Team, current Jamesville-DeWitt High School senior Russell Farchione was used to going above and beyond. In one race, however, he exceeded everyone's expectations.

"I did an extra 50 yards after my race," says Farchione. "I thought it was a 100-yard race, but it was only a 50."

And the craziest part? He still finished before all of the other swimmers.

Add year after year of swimming during the summer, fall, winter and spring and you get the final outcome: one of the most dedicated and talented swimmers the J-D/Christian Brothers Academy Varsity Swim Team has seen in years.
The current two-time captain began his competitive swimming career young, just like the rest of his family. At age five he joined the Drumlins Country Club Swim Team. "I liked the feeling I got when I won a race, even at a young age," says Farchione. And that feeling drives him to this day.

Bob Bewley, a physical education teacher at CBA and head coach of the J-D/CBA varsity swim team cites Farchione's hard work as a major reason for his success. "He's a very determined person," says Mr. Bewley. "He has an inner drive to excel that a lot of swimmers lack."

Farchione's work ethic is on display each and every practice. Finishing first, however, is his primary motivation. "Winning is the only good thing about swimming, because practices suck," says Farchione. But it is practice that has helped him excel in the boy's 100-yard breaststroke and the boy's 200-yard individual medley. Russell enters this season with personal best times of 1:02.98 in the breaststroke and 2:03.65 in the individual medley. "My goal this season is to make it under a minute in the breaststroke and under two minutes in the medley," he says.

As the season progresses, these goals seem more and more realistic. "He's a really hard worker," says the middle of five Farchione children, Garrett, a sophomore at J-DHS. Russell's hard work paid off last year when he, Garrett, then-senior Allan Runions and former Christian Brothers Academy senior Tyghe Speidel broke the medley relay record at the 2008 Section III Championship meet, and earned a spot at the state championship meet. "It was definitely a relieving feeling. I was relieved because we worked hard all season and it finally paid off," says Russell.
Russell's leadership efforts are another reason he is so important to his team. "People respect him for who he is," says Mr. Bewley. "They see how hard he works, and that he is a good person."
"I try to be a team leader," says Russell. He was elected captain by his teammates both his junior year and as a senior this season. "I try to lead more by example," he says.

His efforts certainly don't go unnoticed. "He is charismatic and he represents the rest of the team really well," says senior teammate John Jaworski. "He's a strong leader and teammate. He's not a jerk."

Junior teammate Zach Shaw also has high praise for Russell. "He's a great swimmer, and leader. He cheers for everyone on the team, and even if you have a bad race he's encouraging," he says.
Younger brother Garrett says, "Russell is such a good leader, if he jumped off a cliff I would too."
The brothers have been in the pool together "since we came out of the womb. Actually we were swimming in the womb," says Russell.

For the Farchiones, swimming isn't only a sport, but a family affair. Each of the five children has competitively swum at one point in their lives. "We all started young," says Russell. "We've all swam DeWitt Swim Club (a year round club program), and we've all worked really hard to get where we are today." During Russell's sophomore year, he was able to share a season with two of his brothers. Daniel was a senior at the time, and Garrett an eighth-grader. The three Farchiones greatly contributed to a team that won the 2007 Section III Championship Meet.

"I think (his family) has definitely helped Russell succeed as a swimmer," says Mr. Bewley. "Swimming families have children who start the sport early and always a lot of parental support."

But swimming isn't the only sport in Russell's life. When the school swim season comes to an end, Russell plays on the Varsity Boys' Lacrosse team.

"Lacrosse is really fun, and we have mad flow. You gotta play a sport with flow," says Russell.

Russell is definitely looking to swim in college. He is currently considering Ithaca College, SUNY Geneseo, and Le Moyne College, among others.

The flow Russell brings everyday is sure to be missed by all at J-DHS. "When people are used to looking up to someone who's a leader, and that person leaves, people don't know who to look up to. Then, it's up to those people to lead," says Mr. Bewley. "When you've had a good person on your team, you're definitely going to miss that."