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Dover Eagles Are True Eagles; Four Dover Swimmers Have Also Found the Time to Become Eagle Scouts.

Posted on: Saturday, 5 March 2005, 00:00 CST

Dover has an impressive number of boys heading to Franklin & Marshall College for this weekend's District 3 swimming championships.

The commitment and hard work that all 10 have put in is certainly noteworthy. Four members of this group, however, have redefined dedication.

Seniors Ryan Taylor, Dan Buchanan, Shane Melhorn and freshman Richard Janosky Jr. are not only standouts in the pool, but in their communities as well.

These are not run-of-the-mill high school athletes. Remarkably, all four boys have attained their Eagle Scout awards from the Boy Scouts of America.

Dover swimming coach Rich Janosky Sr. is quick to congratulate not only the boys, but their parents as well.

"Their lives are busy," the coach said. "Not only does it take a phenomenal amount of dedication to complete the Eagle Scout requirements, but it is all the amount of community service. Then you tack on the three-hour swim practices on a daily basis for 12- 16 weeks. It is very tough.

"Look at the academics these young men have, too. They have all honors classes. They are all very hard workers and are all college bound. I have to give a tremendous amount of credit to their families. All three families set a great example for those boys."

The coach himself knows how hectic the schedule can be. He is also a scout leader with Manchester Township Troup 54, where his son achieved the honor. He is quick to credit his own family for dealing with his four meetings during the first week of every month.

"My first week of the month is tough," he said. "All four evenings are taken until nine o'clock. It is a large family commitment. My wife is involved with scouting, and my girls go on scouting trips with us."

Taylor, Buchanan and Melhorn all grew up scouting together with the Dover Area Troop 67. Their bond is obvious.

"We all got in together when we were real young and just kept coming up through," Melhorn said. "It's always been fun. They've always been real good guys."

"Those three boys are lifelong friends," coach Janosky added. "These relationships will be so long lasting."

The big question: Where did they find the time to accomplish a rare scouting feat while participating in one of the most time- demanding sports?

"I started scouts when I was younger and it was an ongoing thing," Buchanan said. "Swimming has an offseason, so it is easier to work through scouting projects when swimming is not in. When swimming is in you just have to find time to fit it in."

"You just learn to deal with it," Taylor added. "I think you learn time-management skills pretty quickly."

Perhaps the youngest member of the foursome put it best.

"No free time," Richard Janosky Jr. said. "It is just working all the time."

Of course, he would know, as he impressed his older teammates by attaining the Eagle Scout before starting high school.

"That was pretty cool," Taylor said of his teammate. "It is a lot of work and Richard got it done right away. It's a lot to do in that amount of time so that is pretty good."

"That was something I wanted to do," the younger Janosky said. "I know I wanted it to get out of the way before high school. I didn't want any of the pressures of the extra workload."

There might be pressure for the team today and Saturday, as Dover enters districts with expectations following last season's third- place team finish at the state level. Taylor and Melhorn were part of two relays that took home silver medals at the state meet last year.

"Last year we did so well, there are going to be teams gunning for us," Taylor said "They know who we are this year. Last year we were pretty much unknown. We are on the map this year."

Coach Janosky will also have his hands full as Dover is participating in both the AA and AAA meets. The Dover girls are competing at the AAA level. The levels are determined by gender enrollment and the Dover girls missed the AA cut by just three.

"It is tough. I think they should take these split teams and put them where they most closely belong together," the coach said. "These boys and girls train all year long together, they push each other in practice and compete in a dual meet setting and cheer for each other. Now at the highlight of the year we separate them."

But regardless of the outcome, he beams with pride for all the kids, especially his four Eagle Scouts.

"These guys will have a special place in my heart because I know what it took to get to this point," he said. "They not only did it in the athletic field that I am in charge of, but they did it also in another part of life that I enjoy scouting."

Source: York Daily Record

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