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Nevada High School star swimmer Hines sets sights on state gold
Ben Hines is a man on a mission.
The 6-foot-3, 190 pound Nevada High School sophomore recently completed a mega-successful summer with the Nevada Neptunes and USA Swimming teams.
Hines, the No. 2 ranked prep swimmer in the state of Missouri according to collegeswimming.com, was named the Arkansas Swimming Inc. 2017 Male Swimmer of the Year (Long Course) as a 14-year-old, and repeated this past summer as the Long Course, and 15-16 year-old High Point Male champion.
Hines’ other recent accolades include the 2017-18 Joplin Globe Male Swimming Athlete of the Year, and being nominated as a finalist for the Springfield Sports Commission Male Swimmer of the Year.
Even after earning nine gold medals, a pair of silvers, and a bronze during last year’s freshman campaign, Hines still has unfinished business, as the Nevada High swim team kicked off its season last week.
“I want to win gold at the state swim meet in the 50 and 100-yard freestyles,” Hines, who earned silver and bronze respectively in those events last year, told the Daily Mail. “I think I easily can this year. Finishing second and third lit a fire in me, more than it made me happy. I just want to get first this year in both events.”
Hines’ personal favorite event is the 50-yard freestyle, as the sophomore sensation placed runner-up to Kearney’s Grant Sloan at the 2017 Missouri Swimming and Diving Championships last November.
“The 50 is a lot more intense,” noted Hines.
Hines, however, has already exacted a measure of revenge, besting the University of Wyoming bound Sloan on multiple occasions during the summer circuit.
“I raced him at three or four meets, and beat him every time except for at the Futures Championships,” said Hines.
The USA Futures Swimming Championships is a marquee event, headlined by the top prep swimmers in America, with this year’s competition held in Rochester, Minnesota (Aug. 2-5).
“It’s the biggest meet I’ve been to so far,” said Hines, who achieved a pair of fourth-place finishes in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle events, while also competing in the 200-meter freestyle.
Hines said the technique of ultra-short race pace training (USRPT) has helped him shave a second off his 50-free time, and nearly three seconds off his time in the 100-free.
Hines bulked up over the summer, putting on 10 pounds of muscle. On the eve of the Arkansas Long Course State Championship meet, held in late July in Bentonville, Hines dined at Applebee’s, consuming eight plates of endless ribs and an additional plate of chicken.
“I don’t really pay attention (to calorie intake), I just try to eat,” said Hines, whose 6,000 calorie per-day intake also includes a gallon of chocolate milk.
“That works extremely well as a recovery drink,” said Hines’ father, Ken. “It’s instant energy, and is almost as good as a protein shake.”
The eight plates of ribs failed to slow Hines, who dusted the competition en route to a first place Arkansas High Point championship. At the championship event, Hines swept to gold medal finishes in the 50, 100, and 200 meter freestyles. In addition, Hines’ USA Swimming squad, the Berzerkers, earned gold medals in the 200 and 400-yard freestyle relays; a silver in the medley relay; and placed third in the 400-meter freestyle relay. Individually, Hines also collected a silver medal in the 100-butterfly, and a silver in the 100-backstroke.
During one of the relay events Hines ran down a rival-team competitor, who had jumped out to a big lead.
“He was about four body lengths ahead,” recounted Hines.
Added Ken: “It looked like Ben just cruised on the first 50, and then passed him after coming off the wall, and then just pulled away.”
In the 200-free relay, Hines again chased down an opponent who had shot out to a wide lead. This time, however, it was due to the opponent’s false start, and he was later disqualified.
“He knew he didn’t have a chance against Ben if they went at the same time,” said Ken, adding that Ben is currently working on improving his national trial times.
Continued Ken: “He has two years to be ready to try to make trial times. He’s .08 (seconds) off of the 50-free junior national time. And he’s .68 seconds off Olympic trial times. It’s 23.39, and he’s currently at 24.07.”
Said Ben: “My real goal is 23.99 or below. That’s my main goal, but I know I still have two more years to get where I need to be for trials. But overall, it was a pretty good summer.”
Hines also participated in the Oklahoma Summer Sectionals in Jenks, going up against top college swimmers and placing fifth in the 50 free. Hines’ next major meet is the Winter Junior Nationals in Austin, Texas.
“He’s got Winter Junior National times,” explained Ken. “Ben will also swim in the Pro-Am in Lewisville, Texas with USA Swimming. “
In addition, Hines swam for the Nevada Neptunes this summer, participating in three swim meets with the lovable local swim squad.
“I love swimming for the Neptunes and representing Nevada,” said Hines, who has been winning gold for the Neptunes since a young age. “I have a lot of friends on the Neptunes, and swimming for them is a fun experience.”
In accordance with NCAA regulations, Hines has yet to hear from any Division I colleges, but expects that to change next year during his junior campaign. Hines provided a rundown of his dream schools.
“My very top pick would be the University of Indianapolis, they have the fastest pool, maybe in the world,” said Hines, noting that pool speed factors includes depth, quality, slickness, and temperature of the water. “I swam there in 2016, and it was my favorite pool ever. My second choice would be the University of Florida, I like the Gators. And then, Mizzou. They have a pretty good pool, and I just like the atmosphere. Those are my top three.”
USA Swimming
Shawn Klosterman is head coach and director of Berzerker Swimming, a USA Swimming Club serving Joplin and the surrounding area, and one which Hines is affiliated with. Klosterman is also the Webb City H.S. boys and girls varsity swim coach.
Having mentored Hines for many years, Klosterman discussed the Nevada phenom’s ascension up the prep ranks.
“Ben is on a great path,” Klosterman told the Daily Mail, as Hines currently checks in as the No. 67 ranked prep swimmer in America. “To move up in those rankings, he needs to diversify a little. He is a freestyle specialist, and we are still working on getting the other strokes to be as competitive as the freestyle.”
Hines, who has previously competed in three sports — swimming, track-and-field and basketball, said his sole focus is swimming.
“Ben hasn’t had as much opportunity for endurance training as many of the athletes in the rankings, since he has always been a multi-sport kid, and many other swimmers at that level cut out the other sports quite a bit earlier,” said Klosterman. “I encourage athletes to do multiple sports until they reach a certain point in their development, but it does take away from some of the more traditional training time involved to compete at the national level. (Ben) knows he has some catching up to do in that regard.”
Klosterman said Hines has the physical attributes and mental acumen necessary to compete and thrive at the national level.
“Ben has the size to compete nationally, a great feel for the water, and an athletic mindset. It is rare to get to work with an athlete who has all three of those things naturally,” said the Berzerker head coach.
According to Klosterman, Hines exceeded exceptions in the pool this summer. Klosterman said Hines worked hard to get back up to speed, after being out of the pool for an extended period while competing in other sports.
“I am sure he would agree with me that while his 200 free was an improvement, he did not have sufficient time to get in shape to race it at the same level he competes the 50 and 100,” noted Klosterman.
“Eventually, his 200 and 400 free should be premier events for him as well. The 50 and 100 free were exceptional this summer, partly because he rises to the occasion when we get him on the blocks next to great competition.”
Klosterman said that as long as Hines remains healthy, “he definitely has a shot” to win multiple Class 1 state championship meet events in November.
“I think that even if he were in class 2 it would be hard to find someone that would be untouchable,” said Klosterman, of the competition Hines is set face. “Ben is a gamer. We talk a lot of technical stuff in practice and meets, but when the big races come, I know as a coach I can just say ‘no thinking, just beat everyone,’ and he tends to ace the details when it counts.”
Klosterman discussed the additional weight Hines has added over the summer.
“We have done a few things to get some range of motion back in his shoulders, but I don’t think lifting has done anything but help him so far,” said Klosterman. “I do like to throw in some swim-specific advice regarding weights, but hey, there is nothing wrong with getting stronger. If we were to calculate power/weight ratio, I think he would still have a ways to go before we saw diminishing returns. We just want all strength work to be as specific as possible. I tell the kids, a large part of the season is about building a bigger sword, the rest is about sharpening that sword to be race-ready.”
Klosterman said it’s a foregone conclusion that Hines will field Division I offers.
“One-hundred percent,” he said, “unless he is injured or somehow ineligible. Eyes are already on him.”
Concluded Klosterman of his star pupil: “I am excited to see what he can do this fall for Nevada High School. I hope that his success helps to make swimming grow in the area. It is a beautiful sport!”