Joey Countryman plays the heavy with two state medals for Reavis. And topping his dad’s records? ‘It feels great.’

Reavis senior Joey Countryman will always be grateful to his father, Joe, for introducing him to swimming.

So will Rams coach Frank Keller.

The elder Countryman was a star swimmer at Reavis and held many program records in 1998 when he graduated. Most have since been broken by his son, who first took to the pool at age 6.

“My dad got me into swimming and he was my first coach,” Joey Countryman said. “I like it because, obviously, I like to go fast. And it’s such a fun sport.

“You meet a lot of friends, and I think that’s the biggest takeaway. You meet guys and they feel like family after a while.”

The Countryman family also has been good to Reavis. Joey’s father never qualified for state or swam in college, but he set the foundation on which his son has built a sterling career.

“He was also one of our most decorated athletes, and to see his son follow in dad’s footsteps is a pretty incredible story,” Keller said. “First time I met Joey was just briefly when he was an age-group swimmer in elementary school.

“I wasn’t his coach at that point, but I knew he had a good swimming pedigree based on his dad’s success with the program. It was an honor to finally coach him when he came to high school.”

Joey Countryman has been piling up impressive honors ever since. He became only the fourth state medalist in program history last winter when he finished fourth in the 100-yard freestyle and sixth in the 200 freestyle.

It wasn’t a fluke. Countryman again qualified for the championship heats in both events Saturday in the boys swimming state meet at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont.

Countryman added to his resume by finishing fifth in the 200 free in 1:39.55 and capped his career with a second-place showing in the 100. His time of 45.23 in the 100 was a personal best and program record. Rockford East senior Taylor Camden won in 43.72.

“It feels great,” Joey Countryman said. “It’s a great experience.

“This year, I was a little bit more confident. Last year, I was just trying to make it in, and this year I was here to do a job.”

Countryman did his job as he always has — with a strong work ethic and attention to detail. When asked what makes him a great swimmer, he said the ability to show up every day.

“The only way you can get better is if you show up every day and you work hard,” Joey Countryman said. “You can’t take any days off and the progress will show.

“Sometimes, you go through hard stretches, but it always pays off. There was a couple rough spots where my 200 was a little shaky this year, but at the end, we put it all together and it worked out.”

Countryman will graduate as the most decorated swimmer in program history. His four medals are three more than any other Reavis swimmer, and his runner-up finish in the 100 also is the best in program history, tying him with Jim Macklin, who placed second in the 100 butterfly in 1986.

Countryman, an Oakland commit, actually has eclipsed his father — and not only because he will swim in college. He owns program records in the 100, 200 and 50 free, 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke and was part of the teams that set records in all three relays.

The Countryman name, both first and last, will remain on the wall of Reavis’ pool. Only the times have changed.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” Joey said. “I know I look at those guys on the board, especially my dad, and they kind of leave an impact on the younger generation of swimmers.

“I hope that my name stays up there and others look up to my name and they want to beat my times.”

Keller has no doubt about that.

“I’ve been incredibly blessed to work with Joey Countryman,” Keller said. “He’s one of the most decorated athletes in the history of Reavis.

“But he’s such a humble athlete. He’s a team-first guy, and he wants to see individuals succeed.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.