Carroll Star Lays Low, Swims Fast Soft-Spoken Cam Webb Could Make Waves at This Week’s State Meet

Carroll Swimming Coach Shawn Stewart stops just short of calling his top swimmer a geek, but doesn’t hide the fact that he’s got a character on his hands.

He then tells the story of last weekend’s district meet when the same swimmer received the district’s athlete-of-the-year award, but nearly sprinted from the award stand to duck the attention.

Then finally, Stewart settles on his own description.

“Cam’s definitely a goofball at times,” Stewart says. “When he was a freshman, I thought for sure he’d be the one tied to one of the benches before he’d be a senior.

“Now he’s going to the state meet, and it’s all through his own hard work.”

The goofball is Carroll senior Cam Webb, now the proud owner of 10 of the school’s 11 swimming records.

Webb will put his show on display Saturday at the state swimming meet at the YMCA in Marshalltown. He’ll compete in the 100 and 200 freestyle events, as well as the 200 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay.

At last weekend’s district meet in Fort Dodge, Webb swam a career- best 1:45.39 in the 200 free, the second-best time in the state this season. It’s just the latest reason Stewart can see Webb bringing home some hardware.

“Before he popped off those times last weekend, we were hoping for a top six finish,” he said. “But the way he swam absolutely blew me out of the water. I have no doubt he could get top three.

“It’ll be tough, but he could go out and get himself a state title if he swims well enough.”

What does Webb think about all this? The relatively shy kid, who’s not familiar or all that comfortable with the spotlight, stays humble.

“I’ve had a better season than I could have ever imagined,” he said. “Now it’s just a matter of stepping up to the occasion.”

Three years ago, this day seemed a lifetime away. Webb says he began competitively swimming at age 4, but never got serious about it until his sophomore year.

It was then that, upon the suggestion of his mother, Lori, Webb began to lift weights and work harder on his conditioning.

He began working with Carroll local Greg Kustra of USA Vision on a program of Olympic weightlifting that would ultimately help pack on muscle, transforming what Stewart called a “squirrelly body” into a respectable six-foot, 160-pound frame.

Webb also joined the Ames Cyclone Aquatic Club, competing in meets to keep in condition between seasons.

“He would drive an hour each way to Ames two or three times a week to work out with those guys,” Stewart said. “It’s that kind of dedication that has gotten him to where he’s at.”

That and a forceful mother.

“She was the one that kind of pushed me in the right direction,” he said. “I didn’t really care for so many years.

“It’s been quite a ride.”

That ride could end this weekend, but Webb hasn’t ruled out swimming in college. With plans on majoring in computer science, he has an education at the top of his list.

“I have talked to a couple schools like South Dakota State and Luther about swimming,” Webb said. “I just haven’t decided about my future yet. I’m basing it all on my major, but it’s just a matter of sitting down and deciding what I want to do.”

For now, swimming is on his mind, and Saturday’s meet is the ultimate spotlight for a high school swimmer. So how is the soft- spoken swimming scholar handling the pressure?

“I know there are some guys below me that are going to swim a heck of a lot faster than they have all season,” he says. “I just try not to think about it, because then I’ll get nervous.”