BUTLER TWP — Eric Namesnik’s swimming records carry a lot of weight around here.

But they may not be around here much longer.

Twelve-year-old Butler YMCA swimmers David Bocci and Sam Deemer — who practice regularly with the high school team as part of Coach Dave Bocci’s developmental program — combined to break four of the eventual Olympian’s youth records last weekend.

Bocci snapped Namesnik’s age 11-12 200-yard freestyle record and 200 individual medley mark. Deemer broke his 50-yard butterfly record and combined with Bocci, Ben Borvendeg and Justin Walls to break the Namesnik team’s 200 free relay mark. Those achievements occurred at the Western Pa. YMCA District Championship at Penn State University.

All four of those records had stood for 33 years.

“When you consider what Eric went on to become and how long his records stood ... It’s quite an accomplishment,” Coach Bocci said.

Age groups 8-under, 9-10 and 11-12 combined, David Bocci now owns 24 Butler YMCA swim records. At least half of those belonged to Namesnik. Deemer owns five 11-12 team records, setting four of them this season.

Namesnik still owns five individual Butler Y records, three of those in age groups Bocci and Deemer have yet to compete in.

“You can’t really project anything for these kids out of these numbers because you never know how their bodies will develop as they get older,” Coach Bocci cautioned. “But up to this point, they have been outstanding.

“They practice alongside each other every day. They push each other. They’re good for each other.”

Deemer and Bocci have been swimming since age 5. They are in the water together six days a week for nearly two hours each day.

“It’s fun. We push each other in practice,” David Bocci said. “My dad tries to get us to focus on the clock more. His program is preparing us for what’s to come in high school.”

Bocci admitted that he wants to break Namesnik’s 200 individual medley record down the road because “the medley was his strong event, what he went to the Olympics in.”

Namesnik still owns the Butler Y’s age 13-014 200 individual medley record of 2:02.42, which he set in 1985. Bocci’s record in the same event at age 11-12 is 2:11.22.

Deemer said he’s “still in awe” over breaking a Namesnik record.

“I feel like it’s a big accomplishment because he became an Olympian,” Deemer said. “I’m not saying the same thing is going to happen to me, but it makes me feel good where I’m at right now.

“It’s a great feeling.”

And like Bocci, Deemer assesses the numbers on the clock.

“I know I’m seven seconds away from the 100 butterfly (record) and eight seconds away from the 100 back,” he said. “Those are what I’m going after now. The records give you a target and make you work hard.”

While Deemer’s best events are the 100 and 50 butterfly, 100 and 50 back and 200 freestyle, Bocci prefers the distance events, like the 500 and 200 free.

“I just hit 59 seconds in the 100 back — my first time under a minute — and that was a goal of mine,” Bocci said. “I want to get under 1:40 in the 200 free, eventually get some high school records, maybe hit some Olympic qualifying times.”

Bocci eventually wants to break the high school 200 freestyle record.

“I’m 11 seconds away from it now. I figure I have six years to shave that off,” he said.

Deemer is in his first season in Coach Bocci’s development program and said “I’ve really gotten a lot faster this year.”

He hopes to swim in college someday.

“I want to go as far as this will take me,” Deemer said.

Coach Bocci credits another coach, Tim O’Toole, for putting Deemer and David Bocci on the right course during their early swimming years.

“Once in a while, a swimmer comes through this program, like Josh Barthlow or Chadd Cummings, who winds up doing some big things,” the Butler coach said. “It looks like we’ve got two more coming who fit that mold.”