Gibson

KEVIN BRAFFORD

Sports Writer

Spencer Gibson remembers well his first days as a competitive swimmer -- or at least as well, he says, as any 5-year-old would.

``When I first started, I thought 100 yards was 100 laps,'' said Gibson, recalling an experience 12 years past. ``It blew my mind when I found out it wasn't. I thought I was accomplishing something.''

And while it's beyond the realm of possibility to associate 100 laps with 100 yards -- save for an inflatable kiddie pool -- Gibson is accomplishing a great deal these days, regardless of the length.

He's the strongest swimmer on a very strong outfit -- the Panama City Swim Team. Were it not for Craig Becker, a rising sophomore collegiate standout at Clemson University, Gibson would have perhaps been the standout in the Sailfish Invitational over the weekend.

``He's good,'' said Gibson of Becker. ``We're good friends. We swam against each other in high school one year. Right now, he's just too strong for me.''

``Spencer's my best swimmer,'' said PCST coach Jim Bucher. ``He's very coachable. He listens well and he works hard. I think he'll be a fine collegiate swimmer.''

But first there's another year of high school, where Gibson will be a senior at Mosley. While he looks forward to earning a scholarship to swim somewhere, it's the months ahead that have him excited.

``I finished ninth in the state last year (in the breaststroke),'' he said. ``I want to win it this year.''

And then?

``I'll swim somewhere in college,'' he said. ``I'd like to get a scholarship (on the Division I level), but something smaller would be OK.''

It's the ``somewhere'' that's up in the air, however. His father, Jim Gibson, will retire from the Air Force later in the year and the entire family plans to move to Seattle, Wash., early next summer.

They'll live there for a year while Spencer's 15-year-old brother Kevin, also a PCST standout, completes high school. They then plan to settle in Hayden Lake, Idaho.

Spencer, of course, isn't sure where he'll be when all this comes to pass -- only that he'll be swimming.

``I really do enjoy it,'' he said. ``I think the key is that I don't let it bog me down. I take time off every once in a while just to get away from it. Then when I come back, I have more energy and enthusiasm.''

Gibson says Bucher -- also his high school coach -- has had an immeasurable impact on his success.

``He's the best coach I've ever had,'' said Gibson, who was born in Tokyo and called six other cities home before his family moved here two years ago. ``He pushes you to do your best. He also pays attention to everyone on the team and not just one individual.''

Gibson's best time in the 100-yard breaststroke is one minute flat, which he swam during the state meet last fall in Orlando. He has a best time of 2:05 in the 200 yards.

``I can do better,'' he said. ``You swim better when you're up against better competition. That'll be the best, so I should do my best.''