How they were chosen
Athletic directors from the 16 schools — Barron Collier, Community School, Donahue Catholic, Estero, Everglades City, First Baptist, Golden Gate, Gulf Coast, Immokalee, Lely, Marco Island Academy, Naples, Palmetto Ridge, Seacrest, St. John Neumann and South Fort Myers — in the Daily News’ coverage area were contacted and asked to have their coaches nominate players. That information, along with all-conference and all-district honors and postseason performances, were used to make up the teams and choose Players of the Year.
NAPLES, Fla. -- Naples High’s Shawn Lemarie likes to compete. He likes to push himself against other swimmers. It brings out the best in him.
“I really like the competition aspect,” he said. “There’s nothing like going out to a big meet, being surrounded by other people out there just to compete.”
That competitive drive is why Lemarie is the most dominant boys freestyle heat swimmer in the area. And that is why Lemarie has been named the Naples Daily News Swimmer of the Year for a second year in a row.
“He is definitely a very, very competitive person — but in a good way,” Eagles coach Lindsey Anderson said. “When he gets behind a block he’s focused on winning and nothing else. … He refuses to lose.”
After finishing second in the 500 free event in 2013 by just 0.07 seconds, Lemarie returned this season with the goal of winning it all. His time of 4:31.92 gave him the title — and a win he called “the high point” for the season.
After bouncing between Southwest Florida and New Jersey for much of his preteen and middle school years, Lemarie has found a home as the anchor of the Naples swim team. The Eagles’ 200 free relay finished eighth in the state this past year. Currently, Lemarie holds school records in the 200 and 500 freestyle, the 200 individual medley, and was part of the record-setting 200 and 400 relay teams.
Lemarie also helped the Eagles win the 2A-10 district title with wins in the 200 and 500 free.
“He’s so versatile,” Anderson said. “I only use him in certain events, but I’m sure if I entered him in some of the others he would dominate those, too.”
In November, Lemarie, a member of the elite T2 Aquatics team, was named a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American.
Only a junior, Lemarie likely hasn’t even found his best yet. Anderson foresees a second state title in the 500 free, as well as a sub-1:40 time in the 200 free, as very real possibilities for Lemarie in 2015.
“I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing, but faster,” he said.
