2023 Daily Chronicle Boys Swimmer of the Year: DeKalb-Sycamore’s Jacob Gramer

DeKALB – A literal blink of an eye is all that stood between Jacob Gramer and the finals of the IHSA Boys Swimming and Diving State Meet.

The DeKalb-Sycamore junior finished 0.02 seconds form a spot in the tournament’s final day in the 100-yard freestyle, capping a season for him that included two individual berths to state, a spot on a state-bound relay and some school history at the Rockford Jefferson Sectional.

“It has definitely been getting more competitive. That just means we’re going to have to work harder, swim harder, train harder and hopefully next year we can place at state.”

—  Jacob Gramer

“It was good,” Gramer said. “There were some good swims and not-so-good swims as well. In the postseason we did well at sectional. We won sectional back-to-back years. So that was fun.”

For his accomplishments, Gramer, who attends Sycamore, has been named the Daily Chronicle Boys Swimmer of the Year for the second straight year.

The Barbs won a sectional title for the second straight year, topping Hononegah 230-201.5. Gramer won the 50 freestyle (21.55) and was third in the 100 free (47.61), qualifying for state in both. He also anchored the 200 relay, which along with Noah Johnson Max Palacios and Calvin VanderSchee finished in 1:29.03 to qualify for state.

Because there was no postseason during Gramer’s freshman season because of COVID-19 restrictions, he’s now 2 for 2 winning team sectional titles in his career.

“That was real exciting,” Gramer said. “We went into it thinking we had a good shot of winning it. We wanted to go back-to-back years. It had never been done before here at DeKalb.”

Although he made the final day of the state mee in the 50 and 100 free last year, he missed out this year. Both of his times were season bests, but his 21.26 in the 50 was 0.22 behind qualifying, and his 46.42 was 0.02 off the last qualifying spot in the 100.

Last year, he set two personal records to make the finals.

“It has definitely been getting more competitive,” Gramer said. “That just means we’re going to have to work harder, swim harder, train harder and hopefully next year we can place at state.”

Coach Melanie Chambers said the freestyle times at state were very fast this year. She said Gramer may want to think about moving beyond just the freestyle races next season.

Whatever he ends up swimming, Chambers said his goal for next season is obvious.

“We need to get him back into the finals next year, in two events. Whatever the two events he decides are, we need to get him back into the finals at state,” Chambers said. “I’m hoping he can win both of his individual races at sectional.”

Chambers said without a lot of experienced seniors on the team, Gramer led by example this season and was voted a captain by his teammates.

“His peers definitely looked to him as a leader,” Chambers said. “They could see the work he put in the pool. He was able to hold people accountable. It’s an easy thing for him to do. He always does his entire set so he can show them, ‘Hey, I’ve done it. You’ve got to put in the work too.’ Just a very natural, easy thing for him to do.”

Gramer said it’s just about having fun.

“I just want to promote a good, fun, hard-working swim team,” Gramer said. “I just try to be positive to all the guys and be myself. If they’re down I try to help them up. I keep pushing them at practice so we all get better. And just have fun.”