Rob Rooney Quotations

Seventh place is definitely an honor, and I think that right now we had a first-time state champion in Chris, and we had several kids in the finals ... not just the consolations. We're walking out of here with a lot of good experience from this year. But I am ecstatic about how we did as a team.

Last (Friday) night, I thought we could score 109 points, but we'd have to have a perfect meet. These guys have listened to me all year and done everything I've asked. For some of our guys, it wasn't what we wanted, but they tried hard. It just bodes well for next year.

I said, 'You know, Chris, the guy's going to Auburn on a full ride. Let's just relax and worry about our stuff and our own race.

I think his success has a lot more to do with his desire than with his mind. I am never going to doubt his desire or level of it. My opinion and about 200 other coaches' opinions is that he made it possible at the state meet because he wanted to.

We were strong and solid and steady. We acted as a good team today. Every boy we had swimming individually in a race got through (to state). That's a first for us.

There's still heartbreaks in there, but we had a solid, solid meet with a great group of guys. And they have done everything that I have asked them to do.

This game absolutely gave us what we wanted. Win, lose or draw, it was exactly what we were looking for. But we're happier with the win than we would have been with a loss or a draw.

It was a confidence boost. When you're sitting next to a kid as good as Tyler and you've been around him for a while, and he's been the five- or six-time state champion, I think that would give anyone the self-confidence to have really done something.

They held their own. They swam through across the board. They'll be ready to swim in a couple of weeks (at sectionals).

I don't want to say wait 'til next year because we're still in the midst of this year, but I've got everyone back. No one else can say that in this pool (today).

The meet wasn't about the varsity guys. It was more about the JV guys, and they exceeded everything I asked them to do. I thought they were phenomenal.