From Ernest Bowker

Jase Ebersole can’t remember a time when he wasn’t swimming. Since he was 6 years old, the St. Aloysius senior has spent the vast majority of his time in some body of chlorinated water, somewhere.

It’s kind of a family tradition for the Ebersoles. Both of Jase’s older brothers were the same way, and eventually swam on the collegiate level – another tradition Jase is about to uphold.

Ebersole has signed to swim at Boston College next season, becoming the third of three brothers to reach that level. The late Alan Ebersole swam at Princeton, and Bern Ebersole is a sophomore breastroker with the Tigers.

Although he’s upholding one tradition by swimming in college, Jase said the academic opportunities – along with a smaller swimming program – at Boston College swayed his decision to break away from the Princeton pack.

&#8220Bern and Alan told me how fun it was for them, so I figured ‘why not?’” Jase said. &#8220I figured I wouldn’t have as much fun as they did. I’d be studying more. Boston College offered me more of what I wanted.”

It won’t be all fun and games for Jase, though. He said his brothers also warned him about the hard work necessary to compete on the next level.

Boston College’s swim team is a non-scholarship program that competes in the rugged Atlantic Coast Conference. Jase Ebersole, a backstroker, figures he’ll start on the bottom of the Eagles’ roster and work his way up. It’s a spot he may be unaccustomed to.

Ebersole was third in the backstroke at the 2005 state meet as a junior, and fifth in the 200 meter freestyle the same year. Since his days as a child with the Vicksburg Swim Association team, Ebersole has been one of Vicksburg’s best swimmers.

&#8220I’ve talked to both of them (Alan and Bern Ebersole) and they told me it’s a whole new level,” Jase Ebersole said. &#8220It’ll be fun to witness that and be a part of it.”

While swimming has been a big part of Jase’s life, he has dabbled in soccer and a few other sports. The time away from the pool kept him from getting burned out on swimming, he said, but the water always lured him back.

Even in the summer, he worked part-time as a lifeguard in the afternoon after getting up at the crack of dawn to go to a two-hour practice with the VSA team.

&#8220Taking breaks for other sports does help. I’m swimming and other kids get up at noon, and I’m up at 5 o’clock to go swim,” he said with a laugh. &#8220It’s been since I was 6. I’ll take breaks to play soccer and other sports, but I always made it to (swimming) practice here and there. I’ve been doing it all my life and enjoy it.”