Swimmer Donovan Evans knows he's not going to be the next Michael Phelps.
Million-dollar endorsement deals and Olympic fame and fortune are not in the cards for the 13-year-old Prince George Pisces Swim Club member, but that's not to say he won't someday be drawing a paycheque for his work in the pool.
Evans wants to be a lifeguard and coach young swimmers just like himself to aspire to faster times and personal success, once he decides to pack it in as a competitive swimmer.
"I want to compete one or two more years and then I want to start looking into lifeguarding and coaching," he said. "I don't want to compete for a lot longer but I also don't want to leave the club. I'm just working towards being more of a role model than a swimmer."
Evans, whose eight-year-old sister Addison also swims for the Pisces, got off to a great start at the Pisces meet at the Prince George Aquatic Centre Saturday, posting best heat times in all but his backstroke event in the Division 4 boys class. Butterfly is his best event - he likes the all-out effort involved.
"Butterfly is a lot smoother than other strokes and I just practice it more," he said. "I'm pretty average at other strokes and fly, I just like it. Fly is best, breast is worst."
At a Dawson Creek meet two weeks ago, Evans reeled off wins in the 200-metre IM, 50 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke events, was second in the 100 freestyle and third in the 50 freestyle.
"He's had 100 per cent attendance with the club (practices) and it shows," said Pisces head coach Fraser Bell. "He went to the Dawson Creek meet and took a lot of time off, and he's taking way more time off at this meet. He's a very coachable kid. He takes it seriously and he's committed and he's willing to listen."
Evans plans to compete in meets in Mackenzie (June 25-26) and Quesnel (July 23-24) and is looking forward to the B.C. Summer Swim Association provincial championships in Coquitlam (Aug. 15-21), where he'll learn where he stands against his provincial peers.
During the competitive season, May to August, he swims nine hours per week and has two hours of dryland training. His off-season maintenance schedule involved two hours of swimming per week.
He's now in his fourth year with the Pisces, his third as a competitive swimmer, having joined the club after his parents read about the Pisces in a Citizen article.
"We figured it was something good to start, because I've always liked swimming," he said. "I just swam recreational a lot and it turned into this. The older you get, the more mature you get and it's not so much racing but it's also setting good examples and helping little kids.
"It's really good for overall fitness and it's fun seeing your friends at meets. The nerves sometimes get to you but most of the time it's just fun to be out here competing, especially the relays."
Evans attends Grade 8 classes at College Heights secondary school, where he's an honours student and a regular on the principal's list. He says the discipline and time management involved in keeping up his swim schedule has made him a better student.
"It's good to be able to push yourself, and it's a good lesson to teach you the whole working hard aspect and dedication aspect," Evans said. "I like it, it's almost therapeutic. It's made me realize that giving up doesn't work, you always have to put effort in."
The two-day Aquatic Centre meet drew 110 swimmers from the region, including 34 Pisces athletes.
