East County Athlete of the Week: Ethan Jarr

Ethan Jarr is a senior boys swimmer at The Out-of-Door Academy. Jarr won the 200-yard individual medley (2:03.57) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:03.99) at the Thunder's Class 1A district meet, held Oct. 31 at St. Petersburg's North Shore Aquatic Center. He was also part of the team's first-place 200-yard freestyle (1:30.68) and 400-yard freestyle (3:20.83) relay teams. 

When did you start swimming?

I have been swimming almost my whole life. I was born in (Hopkinton) Massachusetts, so I grew up swimming in the area's lakes during the summertime. I moved to (San Jose) California when I was 10 and I started swimming competitively in middle school there. My dad (Scott Jarr) was a competitive swimmer at the University of Tampa, so he got me into it. I moved here in 2018 and continued it. 

What is the appeal to you?

There's a certain feeling to the community around swimming. It's special. Being at practice, you see the work ethic of everyone around you. It's easy to work hard when you're racing your teammates. Then at races, those people are cheering for you. It's all part of it. 

What is your favorite event?

I've shifted around a bit. I like the 50 (yard) freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley. Some combination of those is my favorite.

What is your favorite memory?

Standing on the pool deck at states (last season), that was so fun. There's a different feeling to those races versus regionals or districts. Also, when I lived in California, there was this event called the Husky Invitational. It is held in Washington and you swim against people from different colleges. It was fun swimming in that as a freshman in high school and looking at the college seniors, these sasquatches walking around you, and thinking, 'Wow, I'm going to be like that one day.' 

What are your goals for the regional and state meets?

I want to get under a minute in the 100 breaststroke. I have been around the minute mark since freshman year. This feels like my time to drop under it. I would also like to get under two minutes in the 200 medley. 

What is your favorite food?

I like my dad's paella and my mom's (Kelly Jarr) chili. 

What are your hobbies?

I surf, I skateboard and I skimboard. I do all the board sports. 

What is your favorite TV show?

I'll say 'Rick and Morty,' but I don't watch that much TV. 

What is your favorite subject?

I like math and science. I would like to be engineer in the future, maybe mechanical or computer science engineering.

Which superpower would you want?

I would like to control the water. That way, I could make nice waves on the Gulf of Mexico and surf them. 

What is the best advice you have received?

Do what you love. You'll be happier. I would not put 25 hours a week into swimming if I did not love it. 

Finish this sentence: "Ethan Jarr is …" 

… Interesting. I build my own path. I'm not super attached to my phone. I don't follow fashion trends. I do what I want to do and I am happy doing that.