Cliff Lytle, a junior at Southern-AA, swims the 50, 100 and 500 freestyle events and has drastically improved all of times this season, despite breaking his leg prior to the season. Above, he works out under the direction of his coach, Nancy Schlegel.
Despite a broken leg, Cliff Lytle is still able to manuever his way around the pool, while establishing personal bests in it.
Southern High School swimmer Cliff Lytle still can't explain it.
The junior broke his right leg in late October, just three weeks before the swim season started, and showed up to the Bulldogs' first meet on crutches.
Since then, however, he's had a complete transformation and his times have drastically improved.
"Swimming has actually strengthened the muscles around my leg, which has sped up my recovery," Lytle said during a county tri-meet with Chesapeake and Annapolis at the Arundel Olympic Swim Center on Friday. "There's no way I could compete in any other sports with a broken leg. I thought I was going to have go through some long rehab process but all I had to do was get in the pool."
Lytle, a two-year swimmer, competes in the 50-, 100- and 500-yard freestyle events for Southern (1-5). He's shaved a whole seven seconds off his 100 time from last year and his 500 time is down to 7 minutes and 21 seconds.
All of that with a broken leg.
"My doctor said it takes about 8-9 months to fully recover so technically, it's still broken," said Lytle, who had immediate surgery and didn't have to wear a cast.
Lytle was playing with his recreation soccer team in the Arundel Cup when he got injured. It happened when he went for a 50-50 ball two minutes into the team's last game of the tournament. After the collision, teammates carried him off the field and Lytle's worse fears came true when he took off his shinguard.
His first thought?
"Swim team! Oh no!"
That wasn't the only sacrifice. Lytle couldn't perform in his school's musical, either. But the positive-thinking youngster wasn't going to sit out for long. He got back in the pool after the first week of the season and competed in the team's second meet, despite a two-inch incision below his right knee and three staple marks near his shin and ankle.
"I was shocked," Lytle said. "It was my first broken bone so I didn't know how to react."
As he continued to improve, his coaches decided to let him try different events.
"We had to wait and make sure all the doctors said he was OK," Southern swim coach Nancy Schlegel said. "There were a few issues with flip turns and diving off the blocks but he made the adjustments."
Said Lytle: "I can't get off the block that hard because I can't put too much pressure on that leg. Same goes for certain events. The breaststroke and backstoke, for example, put more pressure on the legs. That's why I stick with freestyle."
Schlegel suggested Lytle, previously known for his sprinting ability, try the 500, the longest event in high school swimming. He took to it immediately.
"I guess it's kind of irregular for one swimmer to do distance and sprints," said Lytle, who also competes in the 50 and 400 freestyle relay events.
"But I'm a soccer player. I can run all day long so I decided to give it a try."
Lytle initially got into swimming last year because "it keeps you in shape" during the down time between soccer and lacrosse seasons. But it's become one of his favorite sports. Just like scoring the winning goal, recognition always plays a big part.
"I broke my leg and my times actually went down," Lytle said. "I know, it sounds crazy. I'm just glad I can compete."