ONE OF A KIND: BACKBREAKING SUCCESS LA REINA'S DECESARE ONE OF THE ELITE IN BACKSTROKE.

Byline: ERIK BOAL Special to the Daily News

Laura DeCesare never anticipated having to swim the 100-yard backstroke in a high school dual meet, let alone the Southern Section championships.

"Backstroke used to be my worst stroke, and I would avoid it at all cost," said DeCesare, a junior at La Reina High of Thousand Oaks.

During her first two years with the Regents, DeCesare embraced every challenge put in front of her. She swam everything from distance freestyle to the individual medley, qualifying for the championship heat - top eight - in four events at the Div. IV finals.

But aside from the 50-yard leg on the individual medley, DeCesare was able to keep her backstroke work to a minimum - until a left hip injury forced DeCesare to change her focus.

Nearly a month into the season, DeCesare wasn't able to swim the breaststroke without severe discomfort. She wasn't able to extend her legs without pain. And her flexibility was hindered because she couldn't perform the same stretching exercises as teammates.

"Mid-to-late March was when it was at its worst," said DeCesare, who credits some of her soreness to legs that aren't the same length. "It's still a problem because it's not completely healed. Doctors examined me, and they couldn't determine exactly what was wrong. They tried massaging the area and lots of stretching, and it got better, but only for a while.

"Plus, it didn't exactly help that I'm not the most patient person."

DeCesare hoped time and rest might enable her to pick up the breaststroke again in late April, in time for the Royal of Simi Valley Invitational, but she knew she needed a second plan for the Div. IV prelims and finals, held today and Thursday at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

"I talked to (La Reina coach Joe Comeau), and he suggested freestyle as a possible backup, but the only reason I swam freestyle as a freshman was because that was where I could score the best for the team," said DeCesare, who was seventh in the 50 and 200 freestyles at the 2004 division finals. "I was horrible at the 200 freestyle, but that's where I needed to be."

Knowing her butterfly times weren't strong enough to score well for the Regents at the Div. IV championship meet, DeCesare had few options. She needed another event to complement the 200 IM and help La Reina in its bid to repeat as champion.

She found it with the backstroke.

"I had shoulder problems, but I had them early enough, where I'm fine now," said La Reina junior and Conejo Simi Aquatics teammate Emily Bibb, who teamed with DeCesare last year to win division titles in the 200 medley and 400 free relays. "Poor Laura. She got (her injury) kind of closer (to the end of the season). But she was able to take one of her other events and build it up and become really good at it. I'm so proud of her."

Thanks to CSA teammate Alexandra Nalevanko of Camarillo - the defending Div. III champion in the 100 backstroke - DeCesare accelerated her learning curve in the event, and she and Nalevanko pushed each other through one grueling workout after another.

"She's a one-of-a-kind swimmer that's going to do whatever it takes to help her team," Nalevanko said. "She's a great breaststroker and IMer, but her backstroke has really improved. I won't be surprised if she wins CIF."

DeCesare was content last year to compete on two winning relays and contribute to the Regents' first title in program history. To join Bibb as La Reina's only other individual champion seldom crossed her mind, until she looked at the Div. IV "psych" sheet and saw she had the fastest qualifying times in her events.

"I was definitely surprised," said DeCesare, who shared Fountain League MVP honors with Bibb after setting league records in the backstroke and the IM at Thursday's finals. "My backstroke has kept improving, so it all kind of fell into place. It's really exciting that the ones I want to swim just so happen to be the ones that can most help the team.

"I don't know how it all worked out this way. But it's a blessing in disguise."

After two years of sacrificing for the good of La Reina, DeCesare might be able to enjoy a little individual glory Thursday. But helping the Regents become the first Div. IV team to repeat since Brea Olinda in 2001-02 remains her top priority.

"It's going really nicely right now," she said. "I don't want to jinx it, because nothing ever goes this nicely. I just want to go out there and have fun with my team, because that's who I swim for."

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Photo:

Laura DeCasare, center, cheers on with La Reina High teammates Veronica Espino and Emily Bibb at last year's Div. IV championships.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer

Box:

SOUTHERN SECTION SWIMMING