Conestoga’s Brendan Burns reaches whole new level at states

TREDYFFRIN >> Looking back, it’s pretty clear that 2018 Daily Local News All-Area Boys Swimmer of the Year Brendan Burns was destined for greatness. The Conestoga junior, who is a four-time state champion and high school All-American, comes from a swimming family and was raised in what appears to be a perfect environment to develop his burgeoning aquatic skills. Burns’ parents, Eric and Heather, met through a masters swimming program at a YMCA in Connecticut. His mom competed collegiately at Miami (Ohio). His dad — like his grandfather — swam at Southern Connecticut State. And Brendan Burns was introduced to the pool when he was an infant.

“Swimming is integral in my family — it kind of runs everything,” Burns pointed out. “Our schedule for vacation and family events kind of rotates around swimming schedules.”

With that kind of background, it’s easy to see why Burns is an accomplished swimmer. But add in a legendary work-ethic, a laser-like focus and a fierce competitive instinct, and you can see how he’s developed into the most outstanding swimmer in Conestoga history.

“Brendan is amazing,” said his ’Stoga teammate Owen Neuman. “He is so good, but he is very humble about it. We love having him on our team.”

Just three-quarters of the way through his high school career, Burns has already accumulated 10 medals at the PIAA Class 3A championships. And last month at Bucknell, he reached the pinnacle after being named the “Most Outstanding Swimmer” at the state meet.

“Baseball was my first love,” Burns acknowledged. “Then I got into swimming soon thereafter. I split my time between the two until I won my first YMCA Pennsylvania State Title in the 50 butterfly when I was 10.

“That was a pivotal moment and from then on I put a lot more focus on swimming. When I was 12, I gave up baseball for swimming, and I haven’t looked back.”

As a freshman, Burns took home three medals from Bucknell, including a bronze in the 100 butterfly.

“At states, there are a handful, at most, of freshmen that are going to the podium,” said Conestoga coach Mark Tirone. “Brendan is a workhorse. He knows his body, he listens to his body, and he knows how to push it in training.”

In 2017, Burns was crowned state champion in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke, and then he defended both titles in March. In the butterfly, his winning time of 47.04 was a new state record. In the backstroke, he established a personal best time of 46.93, which was also a school record.

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