FAYETTEVILLE -- The Fayetteville boys' swim and dive program has been a work in progress for the past several years.
With each passing season, the Bulldogs continue to build, improve and now appear closer to the final lap toward success.
Matt Parisi
School: Fayetteville
Class: Senior
Height: 5-8
Notable: Four-year letterman for Bulldogs swim team. … Has qualified for state meet this season in 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley, 500-yard freestyle and on all three relays. … One of three brothers who has been in the Fayetteville program. Older brother Josh graduated last year and younger brother Zach is currently a sophomore with the team. Another younger brother, Luke, also swims as a seventh grader. … Mom, Anita Parisi, helps coach the Bulldogs’ swim team. … National Merit semifinalist and Presidential Scholar candidate.
Throughout the years of the growth and development there has been one constant for the program -- Matt Parisi.
Parisi, a senior, is in his fourth year with the Fayetteville swim program. Parisi made a splash as a state qualifier in the 100-yard breaststroke as a freshman where he finished eighth overall at the state meet.
Fast forward to today and Parisi is the Bulldogs' clear leader. He is counted on to provide big points for Fayetteville every time the team competes.
"Part of our team mission is striving to become successful and being good leaders in the classroom and in the pool, and he is that," Fayetteville swim coach Mike Kaminski said. "He is one that definitely symbolizes that. Matt leads us by example and we'll definitely be sad to see him go next year."
The Bulldogs have become familiar with a Parisi leading the way. Matt's older brother, Josh, was his teammate before his graduation last year and younger brother Zach is also a key contributor this season as a sophomore.
"We are a very proud family of swimmers," Matt Parisi said. "My mom was a swimmer and all of her brothers and sisters were swimmers, and now it's just great to be a part of that. My mom helps coach our team and my younger brother Zach is on our team now and I have another younger brother (Luke) in seventh grade who hopefully be a part of it.
"It's definitely awesome for us to all be a part of the team."
As a part of the first family of Fayetteville swimming, Parisi takes a lot of pride in his performances for the Purple'Dogs. And with his time winding down in his senior year, he's determined to make the most of his final days with the team.
"It's fun to be in my final year and be a senior, but it's pretty sad to know it's almost over," Parisi said. "I've grown a lot in my four years and I've got so many close friends on this team. I won't be swimming in college, so there will be a huge gap in my life when it's done."
Fayetteville has finished runner-up as a team in five meets already this season, most recently at the Bentonville Invitational on Thursday at The Jones Center. For Parisi, leaving his mark as a top individual swimmer in the program is certainly a goal. And he'll have that chance with state qualifying times in numerous events, including the 100-yard freestyle, the 100-yard butterfly, the 100 breaststroke, the 200-yard IM and all three team relay events.
But more important to Parisi is his team. He hopes the progress he's been a part of within the Bulldogs' program will be his most lasting legacy.
"I think it's very important for our team to build and I've loved being a part of that," Parisi said. "When I was a freshman we were very small and I had some friends that I kind of recruited to be on the team. Then more and more people joined and now we have a lot of seniors on the team.
"But I know we have a lot of freshmen coming up on the team and with those freshmen and the sophomores on the team, I think swimming will have much more of a name around the school and it will be more of a big thing and then one day we can put up a fight against Bentonville."
Vernon Tarver can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAVernon
Sports on 02/01/2015