Big names in US swimming inspire Marblehead record-breaker

Ted Millett isn't the type to get nervous, but maybe a little star-struck.

As the premiere breastroker at Marblehead High, Millett has smashed many of the school's records (mostly the one's he had already set himself) and was recently named Northeastern Conference Swimmer of the Year, but he still flashes back to last December as the highlight of his swim season.

He earned a trip to Georgia Tech to compete in the US Senior Nationals, the meet just below the US Olympic Trials on the swimming hierarchy, and seeing all the faces around the pool was like seeing rock stars backstage.

"Most of the US team was there except Michael Phelps," he said. "None of them made a big deal about how fast they were. If you didn't know who they were you wouldn't realize" they were headed for Beijing.

But just seeing them swim, he could tell they were leagues apart.

"It's a completely different level," he said. "Going down there is a whole different ball park. It's completely serious and you can't make any mistakes."

He came back north and dominated the high school scene, watching his times drop in every event, but the Senior Nationals experience only made him want to succeed more.

That played into his decision to swim at the college level at Ohio State.

The Division I school is renowned for its talented breaststrokers, and the long torso and short legs that make up Millett's 6-foot frame give him the event's perfect body type.

His times in the 100 and 200 breaststroke (57.4 seconds and 2 minutes and 5 seconds respectively) are already Marblehead records along with his times in the 500 freestyle and 200 individual medley. But given the Buckeyes' reputation with breaststrokers, he expects those times to drop further by the time he's done in Columbus.

He was the only breaststroker Ohio State targeted in his graduating class, a fact that weighed heavily in his decision, along with the school's aviation program.

"They've had a lot of success with their breaststrokers," Millett said.

"They've had three kids over the past three years going into college with times similar to mine. By the time they came out they dropped drastically."

Masconomet Regional High School will host former Team USA women's soccer coach Tony DiCicco in its auditorium Feb. 24 for a talk about "Positive Sports Coaching."

DiCicco's book, "Catch Them Being Good," talks about the positive components that go into making great youth programs and teams. DiCicco was recently named head coach of the Boston Breakers, a Women's Professional Soccer team that had been dormant since 2003 but will restart next month and play its first game in April. DiCicco, who won a gold medal with Team USA at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, will be guest of the Tri-Town Council and the Masconomet Athletic Department in the free event at 7 p.m. . . . Malden native Kevin Newhall, a stalwart on the offensive line for Northeastern University football, was one of 10 Huskies named to the Colonial Athletic Association All-Academic team for maintaining a 3.0 GPA while also serving as one of the team's regulars. Newhall, a criminal justice major, was already named third-team all-conference after starting all 12 games at right tackle for the 2-10 Huskies. . . . After winning a school-record eight games, striking out 61 batters, and posting a 2.38 ERA last year for Bentley, Falcons senior right-hander Jarrod Marchesi of Peabody was tapped as a preseason, second-team All-Northeast 10 selection.

Julian Benbow can be reached at jbenbow@globe.com