Family Ties
12/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Dec. 4, 2001
Coming from a family full of swimmers, it's no wonder sophomore Mike Pater has excelled in the water and kept his dreams of a successful college career afloat as a member of Miami's swim team.
With 10 siblings, most of whom have swum in college and, more specifically, at Miami, Pater received an early education on life in the pool and decided at a young age that swimming was the sport for him.
"I remember being in grade school and following my brothers to junior nationals and state meets," Pater said. "When my brother won states, seeing him on top of the award stand really sparked my interest. It was so exciting to be a part of, and I knew it was something that I wanted to do."
His family links to the water doesn't stop with his brothers and sisters. Pater's second cousin, Gary Hall Jr., is a world-class swimmer who set the American record in the 50 freestyle at the 2000 Olympic time trials.
"It was an awesome experience," Pater said of witnessing the record. "With the connection that we share, it made it really special."
Pater said he didn't get much of a chance to chat with Hall at the time, but that it was truly a proud moment for everyone.
"It's just another example of how rich in tradition our family is."
As a youth growing up on the outskirts of Cincinnati, Pater swam competitively for the Cincinnati Marlins before starting his prep career at national power St. Xavier High School. Having spent his formative years as a multi-sport athlete, Pater found that upon entering high school he would have to give up playing soccer because of time restraints and conflicting schedules.
"Swimming's just something we always did," Pater explained. "As I got older and better, everything just progressed, and that didn't allow for other activities like before."
In his four-year stint with the Bombers, Pater earned all-America status in addition to receiving scholarship offers from all over the country, which ultimately landed him in Oxford.
"Going on various recruiting trips and talking with other coaches, I really found what I wanted here," he said. "Coach (Pete Lindsey) told me everything I was looking for in a program, and the school (Miami) fit my personality."
Pater turned down an opportunity to swim for Eastern Michigan, arguably the top Mid-American Conference school in the sport, because of the "Eat, Sleep and Breath" attitude maintained by the Eagles.
"Nothing else mattered there," he said of EMU. "It's just not what I was looking for."
By deciding to become a RedHawk, Pater rounded out one of the most talented freshman classes ever recruited by Lindsey, one that includes five high school All-Americans.
"We're really stating to pull together," he said. "Last year we set five freshman records."
Having a number of family members also suit up and excel for the 'Hawks didn't sway Pater's decision as much as one might expect. Though his sister, Chelle, was an all-state performer at Ursuline before earning all-MAC accolades while swimming for Miami as a freshman and sophomore, the real dilemma for Pater was trying to shine through his brothers' (John and Steve) shadows, both of whom did great things for the Pater name at Miami.
"I've always been compared to them," he said. "They've been great support for me, but at the same time I want to make a name for myself."
To start off the new swim season, it was Pater's younger brother, Kevin, who weighed heavily on Mike's mind. Earlier this year, Kevin, a freshman, tried out for the 'Hawk swim team, but was not offered a spot on the roster. The elder Pater admits to being disappointed for his brother, but he also says that the situation has worked out and that his brother is making the most of his time at Miami.
"I just told him that it wasn't the end of the world," Mike Pater said. "I thought it would've been a good experience for him, but I'm sure he'll find other talents that will keep him busy."
Pater explains that when he is in the water, he's not concerned with the time he swims but rather the place he finishes.
"I'm top three in one event and top eight in the other two," he said. "Winning's a huge part of what we set out to do. As a senior, I want to be able to accomplish what our past seniors have."
Pater speaks very highly of the 'Hawks' senior class and the role it has played in the development of the younger team members. He credits the upperclassmen with making the team more solid all-around in the pool and more positive outside of it.
"We have a really strong group of seniors," he said. "We've pushed each other more, and the attitude of the team has improved 10-fold because of their leadership."
But what Pater is most thankful for-and will surely take with him long after his days as a RedHawk are over-is the camaraderie amongst the team and the friendships he's built through college athletics. He's enjoyed interacting with many of Miami's other athletes, not just his swimmer roommates.
Pater insists that once his swimming days are over, his experiences and friendships created at Miami will live on forever.
"It'll always be a huge part of my life," he said. "I know I'll keep in contact with the guys and do stuff like swim at the alumni meet when I'm older."
He explains the team's unity as resembling "a family away from home," so it's no wonder Pater feels so comfortable as a member of the Miami swim team. After all, it was because of his family that he got his feet wet in the first place.
Story by Joe Gliemmo