North Salem senior Cameron Jolly practices on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015, at Olinger Pool in Salem, Ore.
Baseball players don’t swim, at least not competitively.
And then you get to Cameron Jolly.
North Salem High School’s fireballing 6-foot-5 right handed pitcher moonlights during the winter as the team captain for the Vikings’ swimming team.
But he’s not just swimming for cross training.
He found enjoyment in the competing in the pool.
“It’s neat that he can be competitive in multiple sports,” North Salem coach Britni Fisher said. “It takes true athleticism and just well roundedness. I think it’s awesome. I go watch him play in baseball and it’s really exciting, too.”
Baseball players who swim competitively are such a rare combination that Jolly has to think for a while to come up with any other baseball players he’s seen around a pool.
His sightings of baseball players competing in swimming have been limited to West Salem’s Andy Armstrong and Brody Wittman this winter.
“A lot of people do it because their senior year they want to do something in the winter so I’ll see, but last year, not very many baseball guys doing it,” he said.
But Jolly swims because he enjoys the sport.
He competed in club water polo for one season his seventh grade year, but it didn’t stick.
When he got to North Salem, his brother, Andrew, was on the swim team and so he decided to join.
“My brother did it his whole life and my parents both did it in high school,” Jolly said. “He had so much fun and I knew the guys that were on the team his senior year.
“When he was a senior I was a freshman so I decided to do it. My mom, she still does the clock at swim meets. They’re all super involved in it and they drag me to meets. I started coming my freshman year and I love it.”
Jolly was 18th in the 50 free (25.92) and 100 fly (1:09.81) at the Greater Valley Conference district meet as a junior.
You might think swimming would be a comparatively relaxing pursuit to someone who is used to having every eye on them when they are pitching, but Jolly insists it’s the opposite.
“I actually get more nervous before a swim meet,” he said. “Before my race I kind of feel like a little stomach butterflies. I just do.
“Before I pitch it’s just the opposite. I’m like super pumped up and I really want to go out there already and I have to wait two hours because I get there early to warm up and it takes forever because I really want to get up there.”
A second-team all-Greater Valley Conference pitcher as a junior, he hits 84 miles per hour on the radar gun and mostly relies on three pitches – fastball, curveball and change-up – though he mixes in a slider and two-seam fastball.
He’s the kind of student of the game who will spend an hour in front of a mirror working on the mechanics of his throwing motion.
It’s that kind of work ethic that North Salem’s swimmers appreciate.
“I have more confidence for baseball, even though everyone on this team kind of looks up to me,” he said.
“I kind of try to have as much fun here.”
His competitive spirit crosses over from sport to sport.
When it comes times for cross-training drills at the end of swimming practice, he wants to be first in every one.
“I love him,” Fisher said. “He’s kind of ornery, but he’s a hard worker and he motivates the team so it’s awesome.”
The difference swimming has made on his pitching game has been tremendous.
Where most high school pitchers are doing well if they can throw 70 pitches and throw six innings, Jolly far exceeds that.
While playing American Legion baseball for the Withnell Dodgers last summer he pitched nine innings in a shutout of Corvallis.
“Because I was swimming into spring a little bit, too, my arm, not tired the next day,” Jolly said. “I was able to play catch still after throwing 130 pitches.”
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com, (503) 399-6701 or Twitter.com/bpoehler
North Salem senior Cameron Jolly practices on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015, at Olinger Pool in Salem, Ore.
Boys swimming
Greater Valley Conference
McKay
Coach: Andria Schmitt, fourth year.
Last year’s placing: Eighth in GVC.
Key athletes
Conner Breyer: A newcomer to the team and a promising competitor.
Outlook: The Royal Scots have improved numbers this season and have the potential to move up.
McNary
Coach: Casey Lewin, second year.
Last year’s placing: Seventh in GVC.
Key athletes
Jake Wyer, jr.: An improving swimmer who has the potential to place in the conference.
Isiah Holt, sr.: Was 17th in the league in the 100 butterfly as a junior.
Outlook: The Celtics have good numbers this season and have the depth to improve.
North Salem
Coach: Britni Fisher, second year.
Last year’s placing: Ninth in GVC.
Key athletes
Cameron Jolly, sr.: A district placing sprinter.
Vernon Stewart, soph.: The team’s top freestyler.
Outlook: The Vikings have some experienced swimmers but with five boys on the team is unlikely to move up.
South Salem
Coach: Eric Richey, 10th year.
Last year’s placing: Second in GVC, sixth in Class 6A.
Key athletes
Tyler Cook, soph.: Showed great potential as a freshman placing second in the district in the 200 free.
Daisuke Fitial, jr.: A district placer in the backstroke and butterfly as a sophomore.
Outlook: The Saxons have significant depth on the boys side, but will have a hard time competing with McMinnville and West Salem for the league title.
Sprague
Coach: Rebekah Wilcox, 10th year.
Last year’s placing: Fifth in GVC, 27th in Class 6A.
Key athletes
Parker Greene, jr.: Placed fourth in the district in the breaststroke as a sophomore.
Colby Evenson, soph.: A surprise as a freshman when he placed second in the conference in the individual medley and backstroke.
Outlook: The Olympians have solid numbers and some strong swimmers who could contend for the league championships.
West Salem
Coach: Dan Evans, 14th year.
Last year’s placing: Third in GVC, fourth in Class 6A.
Key athletes
Andrew Kauffman, sr.: The defending district champion in the 500 free and a returning state placer.
Micah Masei, jr.: Placed fourth in the state in the 100 breast and eighth in the 50 free as a sophomore and could challenge for a state championship this season.
Outlook: The Titans have a lot of excellent swimmers back and could contend for a state championship in the relays.
The rest of the GVC
Forest Grove: The Vikings have a young team again this season.
McMinnville: The Grizzlies won last year’s district championship and are a heavy favorite to win the league again.
West Albany: The team placed third in the conference a year ago and return the swimmers to make them a contender for the top three in the league again.
Area leagues
Mid-Willamette Conference: Corvallis is the favorite to win the conference again. Dallas returns a strong swimmer in Ryan Kennedy. Silverton has a lineup including senior Cole Hackett and a couple juniors who have improve a lot in Jason Orr and Ross Mackinnon.
4A/3A/2A/1A Special District 3: It will be tough for any team in the league to contend with Sweet Home for the top spot. Salem Academy senior Taden Swing was a state placer in the 50 free and should be strong again.
Girls swimming
Greater Valley Conference
McKay
Coach: Andria Schmitt, fourth year.
Last year’s placing: Eighth in GVC.
Key athletes
Audrey Eckstein, jr.: A standout multi-sport athlete who was a district scorer the last two years.
Outlook: The Royal Scots have improving numbers and could move up in the league.
McNary
Coach: Casey Lewin, second year.
Last year’s placing: Sixth in GVC, 18th in Class 6A
Key athletes
Marissa Kuch, soph.: The defending district champion, and a state placer, in the 100 and 200 freestyles.
Sara Eckert, soph.: A district placer in the 100 fly and 500 free as a freshman.
Outlook: The Celtics have one of the best swimmers in the state in Kuch and should have improved depth this season.
North Salem
Coach: Britni Fisher, second year.
Last year’s placing: Ninth in GVC.
Key athletes
Jessica Braun, sr.: An all-around athlete who has the potential to qualify for the state meet.
Sirena Kobayasha, jr.: The team’s top distance competitor.
Outlook: The team has some athletes who should help it move up in the league.
South Salem
Coach: Eric Richey, 10th year.
Last year’s placing: Fourth in GVC, 23rd in Class 6A.
Key athletes
Anna Despain, soph.: Placed second and third in the league in the backstroke and 200 free as a freshman and will contend for district titles.
Alison Gabhardt, sr.: A district consolation finalist in both of the distance events as a junior.
Outlook: The Saxons have a lot of depth this season and have the potential to compete with McMinnville for the district title.
Sprague
Coach: Rebekah Wilcox, 10th year.
Last year’s placing: Fifth in GVC, 24th in Class 6A.
Key athletes
Lily Sloan, sr.: A district consolation finalist in two events as a junior.
Outlook: The team graduated a strong group of seniors from last season and will be young this season.
West Salem
Coach: Dan Evans, 14th year.
Last year’s placing: Second in GVC, seventh in Class 6A.
Key athletes
Madison Blissit, sr.: Placed fifth in the district in the 500 free and 100 breaststroke as a junior.
Hannah Bodkin, jr.: Was in the top four in the league in the individual medley and breaststroke last season.
Outlook: The Titans have a large and strong group of swimmers that will keep the team in the top three in the league.
The rest of the GVC
Forest Grove: The team placed seventh in the conference a year ago, but will struggle to keep up with most teams.
McMinnville: The Grizzlies are the heavy favorites to repeat as district champions behind an accomplished group of swimmers and a strong group of newcomers.
West Albany: The Bulldogs have a promising young crop of swimmers and will contend for a top three spot in the conference.
Area leagues
Mid-Willamette Conference: Crescent Valley and Corvallis will again compete for the league championship. Dallas junior Jolie-Rae Ford was a district champion in the 200 free last year and placed fourth in the state in the 500 free, and the Dragons return another strong swimmer in senior Liz Dressel. Silverton senior Lindsey Orr will contend for a state meet spot in the butterfly.
4A/3A/2A/1A Special District 3: Salem Academy has the swimmers to compete with Sweet Home for the district championship this season. The Crusaders have a strong senior class, including state champion backstroker Kiera Supple, Callie Hinson and Grace Warde.