Making an impact
BUTLER TWP — Now that he's won a state championship, Butler senior swimmer David Bocci doesn't want to stop making an impact in the water.
Those days may just be beginning, actually.
Bocci, who won a PIAA 3A title in the 100-yard butterfly this season — his first state crown — recently signed a letter of intent to continue his academic and swimming career at Clarion University.
He plans to major in sports management.
“They're counting on him to do a lot of things,” said Dave Bocci, his father and Butler High School swim coach, said. “He can definitely make an impact on their program and I'm anticipating he will.”
Bocci also considered Xavier, Towson State, Bucknell and West Virginia before opting for Clarion.
“I went up there for a visit and I love the team,” Bocci said. “I wanted to go somewhere where I could make the biggest impact on the team and that's the place.”
A one-time powerhouse swim program, Clarion has not had a winning season since the 2016-17 campaign. The Golden Eagle men's swim team won 24 PSAC championships from 1971 through 1998.
Dave Bocci swam for Edinboro in college.
“I remember in 1993, Clarion was second in the NCAA when we went up against them,” he said. “I mean, they were dominant. I know they're working to get back to that point.”
Brehan Kelley, Clarion's head coach since 2018, was a 12-time Division II All-American swimmer for the Golden Eagles and led the women's team to PSAC crowns in 2004 and 2006.
“I like where the program is headed,” Bocci said.
He is a two-time WPIAL champion in the 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle. He swam a leg of Butler's 400 free relay team that took second at the WPIAL meet.
Bocci also placed fifth at the PIAA meet in the 500 free.
“I hope to win multiple conference championships and place among the top eight at the Division II national meet,” Bocci said.
“I'm anticipating a more rigid training schedule in college. I've always worked hard at being versatile in what events I can do and I anticipate a heavier load that way at Clarion. The collegiate lifting program, paying more attention to nutrition and diet, I'm looking forward to all of that.”
Bocci has been swimming since age 6. He admits to not listening to his father much in terms of swimming as a youngster.
Adam Keelan, the swim coach at Butler Country Club, was his first mentor.
“Yeah, I didn't want to listen to my dad at first,” Bocci said, smiling. “Once he was coaching me in high school, though, I recognized his knowledge of the sport and how it could help me.”
“David was always a hard worker and that made him easier to coach,” Bocci's father said. “He's got lofty goals in college because he sees an opportunity there and wants to take advantage of it.”
As his coach, Bocci takes little credit for his son's high school success.
“He set goals for himself in ninth grade and took ownership of them,” the coach said. “What he accomplished was all him.”
Bocci became a high school All-American swimmer at Butler. He has similar visions at Clarion.
“I'll miss the teamwork and bonding we had here,” he said of Butler. “But I can't wait to get started there.”
