DLN WINTER ALL-AREA: Conestoga’s Brendan Burns reaches whole new level at states

 

TREDYFFRIN >> Looking back, it’s pretty clear that 2018 Daily Local News All-Area Boys Swimmer of the Year Brendan Burns was destined for greatness.

The Conestoga junior, who is a four-time state champion and high school All-American, comes from a swimming family and was raised in what appears to be a perfect environment to develop his burgeoning aquatic skills.   

Burns’ parents, Eric and Heather, met through a masters swimming program at a YMCA in Connecticut. His mom competed collegiately at Miami (Ohio). His dad — like his grandfather — swam at Southern Connecticut State.

And Brendan Burns was introduced to the pool when he was an infant.

“Swimming is integral in my family ­— it kind of runs everything,” Burns pointed out. “Our schedule for vacation and family events kind of rotates around swimming schedules.”

With that kind of background, it’s easy to see why Burns is an accomplished swimmer. But add in a legendary work-ethic, a laser-like focus and a fierce competitive instinct, and you can see how he’s developed into the most outstanding swimmer in Conestoga history.

“Brendan is amazing,” said his ’Stoga teammate Owen Neuman. “He is so good, but he is very humble about it. We love having him on our team.”

Just three-quarters of the way through his high school career, Burns has already accumulated 10 medals at the PIAA Class 3A championships. And last month at Bucknell, he reached the pinnacle after being named the “Most Outstanding Swimmer” at the state meet.      

“Baseball was my first love,” Burns acknowledged. “Then I got into swimming soon thereafter. I split my time between the two until I won my first YMCA Pennsylvania State Title in the 50 butterfly when I was 10.

“That was a pivotal moment and from then on I put a lot more focus on swimming. When I was 12, I gave up baseball for swimming, and I haven’t looked back.”

As a freshman, Burns took home three medals from Bucknell, including a bronze in the 100 butterfly.

“At states, there are a handful, at most, of freshmen that are going to the podium,” said Conestoga coach Mark Tirone. “Brendan is a workhorse. He knows his body, he listens to his body, and he knows how to push it in training.”

In 2017, Burns was crowned state champion in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke, and then he defended both titles in March. In the butterfly, his winning time of 47.04 was a new state record. In the backstroke, he established a personal best time of 46.93, which was also a school record.

“When it’s time for intense training, he doesn’t back down. I think that comes with his success — he understands that that is how he’s gotten to where he is,” Tirone said.

“I don’t consider myself a talented athlete, but I guess I am a little talented,” Burns conceded. “I really do focus on training hard.

“I’m not going to say I’m motivated all the time. It does get hard, especially in mid-February when we are really going hard in practice. In season, I just try to find something to motivate myself, whether it’s a pool record, a time I come up with in my mind, or something like that.”

At the ultra-competitive District 1 meet, Burns has three gold medals in three tries in the butterfly, as well as two firsts and a third in the backstroke.

And with his considerable help, Conestoga has never finished below fifth in any relay event in six tries. At states this year, the Pioneers seized the bronze medal in both the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.

“I’ve always liked relays over individual events because it really shows what we can do as a team, rather than just me,” Burns said. “When we do something great as a team, you are able to share it and it’s a better feeling.”

Even though Conestoga boasts a storied swimming history, Burns currently holds the school record in every event except the breaststroke and diving. Who knows, he may go after Chris Ippoliti’s 2002 mark in the 200 breaststroke, but the diving mark is safe.

“I mess around on the diving boards at my summer club, but that’s about as close to diving as you’ll see me,” Burns said.

“But I like swimming a variety of events. If I swam the same at every single meet I’d get pretty bored.

“I don’t have a favorite event, but in the big meets it’s the 100 backstroke and the 100 butterfly. I like swimming breaststroke because there is no real pressure for me to do well. And I can get lifetime bests in dual meets because I rarely swim it tapered.”

Burns is already receiving plenty of attention from college recruiters and that’s only going to get ramped up this summer. And with his extensive resume, he is certainly going to have a legion of suitors before heading into his senior season.    

“I want to go out with a bang, defend my state titles, secure whatever legacy may leave behind and set a good example,” Burns said.

Wherever he winds up, Tirone is confident he will make an immediate impact.

“I think (the Olympics) are definitely within reach,” he said. “He’ll make the Olympic Trials qualification times without a doubt.

“He has the drive to get to the next level. He is never satisfied.”