Freshman aids fast PHS start
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Addison Hebert heard that the Princeton High School boys swim team was going to be pretty good this season.
No one, however, told the freshman from Cranbury what a big part of it he would play.
”I didn’t know,” Hebert said. “I had heard a lot about the boys team earlier. I thought there were more seniors on the team. I was really surprised with how much I meant to the team and how much all these other freshmen mean. It shows how much we can do when we’re seniors.”
PHS’ fantastic freshmen already get a lot of credit for this season’s success. The Little Tigers come out of winter break against Hamilton today with a 4-2 meet record. PHS lost to unbeatens Notre Dame and West Windsor-Plainsboro North, but went into the winter break with an 89-81 win over Lawrence.
”So far, we’ve had three really close meets,” said PHS head coach Greg Hand. “In those three close ones, the freshman class was critical. We would not have been as close in the losses, and would not have won against Lawrence.”
Against Lawrence, Hebert was a part of the winning 200 medley and 400 free relays, won the 500 freestyle and was second to sophomore teammate Peter Deardorff in the 200 free. Fellow freshmen Harun Filipovic won the 200 individual medley and Victor Honore the 100 backstroke, while Derek Colaizzo joined Hebert in the medley relay.
”This is a group of kids who we didn’t even know about until right before the season began,” Hand said. “It’s turned out that we have a talented group and equally important, a real spirited group of kids that’s going to become more close knit and become a nucleus for us. In that sense, we haven’t had a freshman class on the guys’ side like this in a while. It reminds me of the girls class that graduated three years ago.”
Hebert didn’t expect to have such an important role as a freshman, but the Little Tigers have just four seniors and a small junior contingent as well. A large freshman class came at the perfect time.
”The seniors are a really important part,” Hebert said. “Spiritually, they carry this team. I guess we are the people who are the brute force.”
The role adds a little more pressure on the PHS freshmen to produce quickly. It motivates them to perform well.
”Sometimes, when I don’t have a good race, I feel the pressure is back on me because I didn’t swim well,” Hebert said. “I still have faith in the rest of the team. We’re all really good together.”
Bad races are few and far between for Hebert. The newcomer has helped the Little Tigers anywhere he’s been put. Already, he has competed in the 200 free, 200 IM, 100 fly and 500 freestyle in individual events for PHS. In the medley, PHS uses him to swim the breaststroke leg. It’s no different from what he’s used to with his outside club team, Peddie Aquatics.
”They kind of experiment with you to see what you’re good at,” Hebert said. “I guess it’s still going on.
”The 100 fly and 200 IM, I like swimming those,” he added. “Those are two of the weak events in some of the high school swimmers that I’m really good at. It’s really nice to know I can be wherever. If someone is out, Coach Hand can fill me in there and I’ll do good.”
Hebert has always been a versatile swimmer since beginning with Peddie as an 8-year-old. Prior to that, he played soccer and baseball while growing up in Cranbury.
”Then when I was 8, I just started swimming,” Hebert said. “I loved it. I did it a lot.”
He continues to prepare with his Peddie team for the Junior Olympics in March, and beyond that in the summer, he again will represent the Cranbury Catfish in Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association meets. His first high school swimming experience brings something new.
”In high school, you’re competing for a win,” Hebert said. “When you’re at club swimming, you’re going for yourself to get a best time really. It’s a lot more exciting when you’re swimming to win first place against another team. It’s a good feeling.”
Hand appreciates having the freshman’s competitiveness and flexibility. It’s crucial as he looks to figure out the Little Tigers’ best lineup.
”He’s got terrific spirit,” Hand said. “He’s what you hope for from a versatile swimmer. He doesn’t seek to swim his best event all the time. He’ll swim them all. He is a competitor, which is nice.
”The best example of that was in our third meet, our first real test of the year, in the IM, between two strong Notre Dame entries he managed to get second place, falling short just by a few tenths, and getting second just by a few tenths. You could tell by watching that race, here’s a guy that fights in his races, not just has some talents. But when the race is over, he moves on to the next thing.”
Hebert has been a fast fit for the Little Tigers. The start to his high school career has PHS excited about the future of Addison Hebert and his freshman class.
”It’ll be nice to think in four years he’ll be the same kind of swimmer, just stronger and faster,” Hand said. “He’s a great asset.”

