From the Lockport Union Sun and Journal...
BOYS SWIMMING: Rams junior Jon Beabout builds for a better future
By John D’Onofrio Greater Niagara Newspapers
Jon Beabout doesn’t just break records. He obliterates them.
He doesn’t get good grades. He gets the best grades.
And he doesn’t just show people the way by example, he holds the door open for them and guides them towards the right path.
Beabout, 16, the son of Walter and Sue Beabout of Gasport, is much more than a top-ranked swimmer in Western New York and Royalton-Hartland Rams’ 500-yard freestyle record holder, he’s a leader in every sense of the word.
At home as the elder sibling, in church, in the classroom or in the pool, Beabout’s big interest has always been helping others, said Rams boys and girls varsity swim head coach Bruce Matthews. “In the pool just today, he did some stroke work with kids who really needed the help,” Matthews said after practice on Wednesday. “And the thing is, it doesn’t take away from how hard he trains. This is his sport. This is what he does. He comes from a great swimming family. His mother, Sue, is a coach behind the scenes.”
As a freshman two years ago, Beabout broke Mark Natemeier’s 1994 Roy-Hart record of 5:23.20 in the 500 freestyle. Since then, Beabout has broken his own mark in the 500 several times — five times this year alone. His school 500 record currently stands at 5:07.57.
“Mark sent me a congratulatory letter when I broke his record, which was nice,” Beabout said.
Beabout said he also hopes to break the school’s 200 freestyle record — and needs to swim just .06 of a second faster to do it. That record remains 1:51.70, set by Cory Donahue in 1991. Beabout swam a 1:51.75 earlier this season.
“Jon’s goal this year is to qualify for the state meet in either the 200 or 500,” said Matthews, whose boys team is currently 9-0 in the Niagara-Orleans League.
While averaging nearly 100 in the classroom and despite spending so much time in the pool swimming, Beabout also finds a lot of time teaching others as a dedicated and enthusiastic youth leader at Ridgewood Bible Church on Rt. 104. He also serves as a camp counselor in the JIM Club, a Christian leadership program, where he annually serves as a counselor for one month each summer.
“I’ve always liked to impress on others younger than me the knowledge that I have and love to see others do well. I want them to be leaders in their churches, at home and in school — to be strong Christian leaders,” Beabout said.
Jon’s parents have been coaches and volunteers at Roy-Hart and as leaders of the Lockport Sea Lions Swim Club for the past 10 years. It’s there that Jon got his competitive start at the age of 7. Today, besides his school and the Sea Lions, Jon competes as a member of the Clarence Swim Club. Besides Matthews and his parents, Beabout credited his club coach, Russ Samson, with his successes in the sport. Jon has twin younger brothers, Josh and Jason, 14. He is the grandson of Bob and Anne Maynard of Wellsboro, Pa., and the late Ed and Neva Beabout.
