Every swimmer has the dream that one day, he/she may make it to the state pool, hear the buzzer start each race, and feel the splash of water hit their face as some of the fastest swimmers in Indiana enter the water. For Jayden Ramer, a junior swimmer at Lewis Cass, this dream became a reality after his hard work and dedication all season helped him earn the title of Sectional Champion, qualifying him for the state meet. The fans from Lewis Cass in the crowd had never roared louder as Jayden stepped onto the podium. This truly was a standout season for this amazing swimmer.

     When the season began, no one dreamed that Jayden would be able to make it this far in his high school swimming career. At the beginning of the season, Jayden’s main goals were to improve his times and work towards breaking various school records. As the season progressed and Jayden began competing in new events, he not only met some of his early-season goals but continued to push himself harder at every practice. His dedication soon showed in his races, especially in the 200-yard freestyle. While being a Three Rivers Conference Champion and setting a new school record in the event may have been enough for some, Jayden knew he was capable of more. Setting his goals even higher than before, Ramer became the Sectional Champion and qualified for the state meet, the first male swimmer to do so in twenty years.

     After hitting the touchpad and looking up to cheering fans, Jayden shared that he had never felt so accomplished and proud of himself. In a previous Kings’ Cast interview, Ramer explained how it was “everything to the wall” on the last 25 yards in his race, not giving up for one second. Before racing in the state meet, Jayden still needed to train harder than ever, focusing on improving his time and, hopefully, placing in the top 25. Ramer said he was grateful to his teammates for pushing him and always making practices fun, even when the workouts were the opposite. No matter the challenges faced during the entire season or during that short week before competing at state, Ramer was certain to always give everything he had when he was in the pool. Not many athletes from a small school in Indiana have the opportunity to compete at such a high level, and Jayden felt honored, explaining how it was one of his biggest accomplishments and that he was proud to represent Lewis Cass. 

     After the final week of practice, Jayden had a school-wide send-off, walking through the halls as students clapped and cheered for him before heading down to the Indiana University Indianapolis Natatorium. Jayden raced just after six in the evening, giving all he could in his last race of the season. In the end, Jayden placed 31st with a time of 1:50.12. While he was not thrilled with his time or place, he said it was a very good experience being able to swim against some of the elite swimmers in the state. The bigger atmosphere and bigger pool were what Jayden found most different, yet exciting. He hopes to qualify again next year to improve his time and place. Even though he did not swim the 200 freestyle all season long, everyone was proud of his dedication and perseverance in the event, especially his head coach and mother, Haley Ramer. Haley explained that Jayden was able to drop an impressive 8.83 seconds in his 200 freestyle, stating, “His consistent work ethic in practice has translated directly into success in competition.” He improved in every event he swam this season, showing what a powerful and motivated swimmer he is. Haley also described Jayden as the type of teammate and leader who makes everyone around him better. “Whether it’s pushing the pace in practice, offering encouragement, or celebrating a teammate’s best swim, he helps create the brotherhood and positive culture seen within his team.”

     It is clear to everyone in the swimming community that Jayden has a strong, bright future ahead of him, and his swimming career is far from over. With his senior season left, Haley talked about how his future will depend on the path he chooses and makes for himself. Haley hopes that this season showed Jayden just how capable he is in this sport. No matter what Jayden chooses for his future, Haley said, “I want him to continue to give his best, set high goals for himself, and work hard to achieve them.” Congratulations to Jayden Ramer on an unforgettable season, and best of luck as he continues to set new goals and push for even greater achievements in the seasons to come.