For Oak Park High School students Pablo Ingrum and Elliott Drottar, the road to the California Swim State competition was a grind. For years, Ingrum and Drottar have meticulously executed a plan to rise to the top. The two are the first in OPHS history to make it to states for swim, along with their 400 freestyle relay team, with junior Mason Espin and senior Trey Williams.

Elliott Drottar

For senior Elliott Drottar, this mark in school history was a result of nearly a decade of daily commitment. 

“Honestly, it feels crazy. I’ve spent about 9 years training, so many early mornings, and hard practices, so having my high school career end this way makes all of the training and everything worth it,” Drottar said. “It’s something I’ll always be proud of, especially since I had my teammates supporting me.”

This sense of pride and the sport itself have shaped Drottar into who he is beyond the pool. 

“Swimming has taught me discipline and consistency,” Drottar said. “Even on the days I didn’t want to swim, I still had to show up and get through. I think the mindset of always pushing through will help me later in my life.”

Looking back at his swim career, his sophomore and senior year CIF finals stand out the most. 

“For both races we were not expected to win, but with teammates (in sophomore year with March Yuan, Hunter Glass and Pablo Ingrum, and now senior year, Pablo Ingrum, Trey Williams and Mason Espin),” Drottar said. “We were able to each do our own part, push each other to be faster, and eventually win the relay.”

The support of his team and the energy they bring is truly transformative in his routine in preparation for the race. 

“I also enjoy every bus ride with the team on the way to swim meets, the vibe and playfulness of the whole team really give me such a sentimental value. I enjoy listening to all of the stories and drama from teammates while also hearing music in the background and hearing the rest of my team enjoying themselves,” Drottar said. “To me, this bus ride is a nice distraction from the pressure and expectations that competitions give.”

Drottar will be continuing his academic and athletic journey at the University of California, Santa Cruz, next fall. 

“I chose UCSC because I get a chance to swim, stay close to home, and pursue my academic career in computer science.”

As he continues to the next chapter of his life, he hopes to leave this with the future of Oak Park Swim. 

“I hope that younger swimmers at Oak Park remember that with hard work and dedication, dreams can be achieved. I hope that later graduating years can remember this about the Class of 2026. I am proud to say we have built the strongest swim program, and I hope that the upcoming years will see that as a dream and a challenge to be better.”

Pablo Ingrum 

While many high school athletes are burdened with the weight of expectations, junior Pablo Ingrum met State standards with certainty. For him, qualifying was not unexpected.

“I always knew I could do it, but it was definitely great to see the proof on the clock,” Ingrum said. “It’s one thing to say you can make states and another to follow through. I am very happy since this has been one of my goals since freshman year. I am now confident and excited to race against the fastest people in California.”

His new time not only boosted his confidence as a swimmer but also changed the game when he was recruited for college.

“The time drops I got at CIF definitely give me a better chance at getting recruited. I have always aimed at a strong mid-major program, so my goals are still the same, but I am closer to where I want to be,” Ingrum said.

Throughout his junior year, the interest from colleges has increased. As the complexity of the recruiting process became more apparent, he relied on a strong support system at home.

“Colleges have reached out. It was very complicated at the start, and I am thankful to my Dad for helping me navigate it,” Ingrum said.

When deciding what his next four years will look like, Ingrum’s criteria focused on a balance of supportive and competitive athletics. Ingrums looked for an environment that would challenge him in the classroom and during races.

“I want a strong swim program dedicated to improvement and winning conference championships,” Ingrum said. “On top of that, I want a place where I can continue excelling academically. Overall, I want somewhere where I can be part of a team and foster competitiveness and growth.”

As his senior year approaches, Ingrum remains dedicated to improving himself.

“I want to make it back to States, win both of my events in CIF and break as many records as I can,” Ingrum said. “I am excited to continue moving forward with my goals and make more history next year.

The culmination of Ingrum’s hard work and dedication to swim recently peaked. Ingrum has already committed to his next four years.

“I just committed to swim D1 and UCSB, and I am super excited about this opportunity,” Ingrum said.

The most unique element of Ingrum and Drottar’s success is their relationship. As state qualifiers, their training has evolved into a constant effort to keep each other accountable.

“Elliott and I always keep each other accountable, whether it is with how hard we work in practice, or being focused outside of swim,” Ingrum said. “After training together and being friends for so long, we have a good idea of each other’s “100%,” and we’re not afraid to call each other out. Besides that, even though we swim different events, we are constantly racing and trying to beat each other, which naturally makes us both faster.”

“We’ve always been competitive toward each other. Despite not swimming the same events, we are always pushing each other to be faster in practice and at swim competitions,” Drottar said. “We are always cheering for each other, even if we aren’t standing right next to each other. Having him there during practices has helped my improvement a lot because it makes it very easy to improve when I have someone always challenging me.”

Ingrum and Drottar’s friendship and competition have helped define their time as OPHS swimmers.

“He is my best friend and rival, whom I want to see win as much as I want to win,” Ingrum said.

“Pablo is the type of teammate to always push others to be better,” Drottar said. “You can always count on him to work hard.”