LIVE OAK — The motivation is always there at the Billy Jernigan Pool Facility for Jacob Kirkland.
Any time the Suwannee junior may not feel like letting up, the number brings him right back into focus.
There, on the Suwannee High swimming record board, it serves as the only carrot that Kirkland needs: 1:09.58. Set by Shelby Brothers in 2008, the SHS record in the 100 breaststroke remains in place 17 years later.
It continues to push Kirkland to new heights.
“He really wants that record, that’s his ultimate goal,” Suwannee coach Doug Morgan said about Kirkland, whose accomplishments in pursuit of that goal earned him the title of Lake City Reporter Boys Swimmer of the Year. “He’s on his way but he’s now down to just his senior year. It’s do or die.”
Kirkland, an All-Area swimmer as a sophomore, didn’t get off to his best start this past fall. Part of that could have had to do with the loss of some key seniors that led more of the leadership mantle falling on Kirkland, who served as a team captain.
But part of it too came from a lack of focus, he said.
“I wasn’t fully committed,” Kirkland said.
That changed in early October, right as the regular season began to wind down and the postseason loomed.
It is also when Kirkland said he began to lock in at practice, pushing himself more there, which in turn led to better focus, and results, at meets.
That included a home meet Oct. 9 against Baker County and Oak Hall.
After producing steady times throughout the season, finally Kirkland saw it began to drop in the 100 freestyle there.
“It really pushed me to keep giving it my all at practice, because if you do that you will get faster,” he said.
And that is the goal for Kirkland, who began swimming competitively in the seventh grade. Now five years into that career, the goal that he began to pursue as a sophomore, is within the realm of possibility.
Finishing sixth in the 100 breaststroke — his favorite event — at the District 2-2A meet to reach the regional meet, Kirkland finished in 1:11.36, less than two seconds away from where he ultimately wants to be. It also was about five seconds lower than where he was a year prior.
“Earlier this year set me back,” he said of his lack of focus at the outset of the year. “That drove me. I can be a lot faster.”
Morgan added: “Whatever he has to do, he’s always doing something to make him bigger and faster.”
So how can he get there?
It won’t be easy. Kirkland knows it and accepts it.
Luckily, he has the ingredients to get there, Morgan believes.
It starts with the willingness to work. Even though Kirkland believes he wasn’t fully committed early this past season, Morgan said his work ethic is superb and one that sets the tone for a young roster.
“Everybody looked to him to set the tone for practice and everything else,” he said. “He definitely had the dedication and the work ethic to push people.”
That work ethic also continues to produce results.
In addition to qualifying for regionals in the 100 breaststroke, Kirkland also got there in the 200 freestyle after finishing fifth at districts in 2:02.37. He followed that up in the regional meet with a 13th-place finish in the 200 free (2:02.37) and 22nd in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.43). Kirkland also was on Suwannee’s region-qualifying 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams, teams that he led after Morgan wasn’t sure even were possible at the start of the year.
“I was looking around and I was like, ‘I’m not even sure we can field a relay team,’” Morgan added. “We got kids that came out and fielded a team and went to regionals.
“Jake had been on the relay teams (previously) that had done it but he was the new kid on the block. He went from the new kid on the block to the captain, which was a big role to step into.”
Kirkland said: “You have to take advantage of every opportunity…I try to be a good influence.”
That example will continue to come as he pursues that chance to add his name and a new time on the board in his favorite event, one that he said he prefers due to its reliance on being technically sound.
So how hard will he go to get there, to find his way to 1:09.57 or below?
“As much as I can,” he said. “When I’m working out and I want to let up, I just have to keep the goal in mind. Here’s why I’m doing it. It can happen, but it won’t be easy.”
ALL-AREA TEAM
Jacob Kirkland
Suwannee, junior
The LCR’s Boys Swimmer of the Year placed fifth in the 200 freestyle (2:02.37) and sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.36) at the District 2-2A to qualify for regionals, where he finished 13th in the 200 freestyle (2:02.37) and 22nd in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.43) in Region 1-2A. He also swam on the 400 freestyle relay team that placed fourth (4:05.67) and 200 freestyle relay team that placed fifth (1:47.99) at districts before the quartets finished 11th (4:11.05) and 12th (1:47.77), respectively, at regionals.
Reed Hurst
Suwannee, sophomore
Placed sixth in both the 200 freestyle (2:04.43) and 500 freestyle (5:36.20) at the District 2-2A meet to qualify for regionals, where he finished 14th in the 200 freestyle (2:02.42) and 15th in the 500 freestyle (5:33.50) in Region 1-2A. He also swam on the 400 freestyle relay team that placed fourth (4:05.67) and 200 freestyle relay team that placed fifth (1:47.99) at districts before the quartets finished 11th (4:11.05) and 12th (1:47.77), respectively, at regionals.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Doug Morgan, Suwannee
Morgan had an area-most 10 swimmers qualify for regionals in 12 events after the Suwannee girls placed fifth while the boys finished sixth at the District 2-2A meet.