By Marc McGowan
A JOKE book is rarely one of the first items packed in a successful sportsperson’s kit bag.
But comedy has proven to be a surprise hit for Narre Warren swimming sensation Stephanie Demestichas in her rise to prominence.
Nerves had previously wreaked havoc on the 14-year-old Casey TigerShark at the major meetings, but head coach Ben Hiddlestone hatched a plan to ease her woes.
“Steph’s pretty quiet and demure. In an effort to get her to loosen up a little bit, she has to tell us a joke at every swim meet we go to now,” Hiddlestone said.
“Every day of the meet she has to come up and tell me a joke – she told me about five jokes at states (last week). She’s got this little joke book she studies before she goes to swim meets. It takes her mind off things and helps her relax a little bit.”
And the scheme looks to have paid immediate dividends.
Demestichas made a major breakthrough in November when she finished third and first, respectively, in the open women’s 800 and 1500 metres freestyle at the Victorian Long Distance Competition. And the stellar results kept on coming at last week’s Victorian Age Championships.
The teenager pocketed gold in the 14-year-old girls’ 400 metres freestyle and was the second Victorian home – behind star teammate Aleysha Tokai – in the 15-and-under girls’ 800 freestyle.
Demestichas, who reached her first state final at last year’s Victorian Age Championships, also touched the wall fourth in the 200 metres freestyle.
She will compete in all three events at the Australian Age Championships in Sydney in April.
“I was shocked that I got it (the gold medal) and I was happy with my time because I’d made nationals and I did better than (what I’d done in) the heats in the morning,” Demestichas said.
But Demestichas, who is also a talented runner, is definitely not an overnight success.
Hiddlestone rates her among the hardest trainers at the club and said her success owed much to that work ethic and changes to her stroke over the past two years.
“She’s been training flat-out hard and consistent for a very long time now and that’s why she’s good,” he said. “I don’t see a limit to what she can do in the water.”
Demestichas admits she is one of the rare breed who actually enjoys training.
“I just think about how I can benefit from it and where it will get me at the end of the set,” she said. “Also, I know I’ll make Ben pleased if I do it good.”
The Casey Grammar student made her debut at national level last year, and heads into the Australian Age Championships as a top medal hope.
Demestichas is making no outlandish predictions ahead of the competition and just hopes to make an individual final. But with a strong showing at the championships, she may just be able to leave the joke book at home.
Picture: Luke Plummer
