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WEST LAFAYETTE - Harrison junior swimmer Rocco Tajc only allowed himself 10 minutes.
Ten minutes of sorrow after one unfortunate misstep on Nov. 22, 2025 ended his high school swim season prematurely.
Tajc was performing step-ups on a box at hip height and rotating feet. A strength and conditioning activity Tajc had performed innumerable times, almost to muscle memory.
"And then it felt like someone kicked the back of my leg," Tajc said. "And then that was it."
More: What we learned from the Hoosier Conference Championships swim meet
More: Seeger junior Bella Hubner masters diving and swimming
Tajc later discovered he tore his Achilles.
At that point, Tajc was just over seven months removed from a breakout 2024-25 season.
Tajc had won the 50-yard freestyle IHSAA boys swimming sectional championships in 20.61 seconds and 100-yard freestyle in 45.68 seconds.
And then one small activity ruined the entirety of his junior year.
But the injury didn't destroy his attitude or break his will.
"I just sat in the pool and gave myself that 5-10 minutes to feel sorry for myself," Tajc said. "I knew if I felt sorry for myself that it wasn't going to do anything. I just knew deep down no matter how bad it was, feeling sorry for myself wasn't going to help my team."
More: Big Ten Conference swimming champion, Harrison alum Matthew Klinge earns freshman honor
Tajc has taken a coaching role this year and helping Harrison prepare for what could become the program's third IHSAA sectional championship this Saturday when swimmers take to platforms at 1 p.m. from West Lafayette High School.
Harrison carries plenty of talent leftover. Teammates that Tajc has taken under his wing.
Junior Nicholas Luban is expected to place higher in the 200-yard freestyle after a fourth-place finish last season in 1:46.87 and should contend in the 100-yard freestyle while Junior Myron Miller finished third in the 100-yard butterfly in 55.20 last season.
Harrison also received Seeger transfer Wrede Johnson to its program. Johnson won the 200-yard freestyle at the Crawfordsville sectional in 1:48.10 and 100-yard backstroke in 53.67 last season at Seeger.
Tajc might not be swimming but he's still a voice and can communicate knowledge of the sport towards teammates.
"I've had a couple of underclassmen come up and ask me questions about swimming, stroke patterns and activating your lats in the pool," Tajc said. "I've taken a good interest in what helps swimmers do better and that helps me in turn. It's kind of a full circle moment."
More: Harrison captures 2nd straight boys swimming sectional title
Tajc doesn't know when his timetable is to begin competing.
But he's reminded that recovery, like swim practice itself, happens through consistent and steady improvement.
He hasn't worried about how his team will do without him. Rather, he's encouraging the teammates who have stepped up in his place to add more history, trophies and tradition for Harrison.
"The main thing has been the team," Tajc said. "I don't know if they know it or not but me being there for them is helping them and it's motivating for me and to show them this isn't over. It sucks to lose one of your swimmers, but it's shown that other guys have stepped up a lot. I'm very proud of them and they've been motivating me."
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Harrison junior swimmer Rocco Tajc shares battle with torn Achilles
Continue reading...
Ten minutes of sorrow after one unfortunate misstep on Nov. 22, 2025 ended his high school swim season prematurely.
Tajc was performing step-ups on a box at hip height and rotating feet. A strength and conditioning activity Tajc had performed innumerable times, almost to muscle memory.
"And then it felt like someone kicked the back of my leg," Tajc said. "And then that was it."
More: What we learned from the Hoosier Conference Championships swim meet
More: Seeger junior Bella Hubner masters diving and swimming
Tajc later discovered he tore his Achilles.
At that point, Tajc was just over seven months removed from a breakout 2024-25 season.
Tajc had won the 50-yard freestyle IHSAA boys swimming sectional championships in 20.61 seconds and 100-yard freestyle in 45.68 seconds.
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And then one small activity ruined the entirety of his junior year.
But the injury didn't destroy his attitude or break his will.
"I just sat in the pool and gave myself that 5-10 minutes to feel sorry for myself," Tajc said. "I knew if I felt sorry for myself that it wasn't going to do anything. I just knew deep down no matter how bad it was, feeling sorry for myself wasn't going to help my team."
More: Big Ten Conference swimming champion, Harrison alum Matthew Klinge earns freshman honor
Tajc has taken a coaching role this year and helping Harrison prepare for what could become the program's third IHSAA sectional championship this Saturday when swimmers take to platforms at 1 p.m. from West Lafayette High School.
Harrison carries plenty of talent leftover. Teammates that Tajc has taken under his wing.
Junior Nicholas Luban is expected to place higher in the 200-yard freestyle after a fourth-place finish last season in 1:46.87 and should contend in the 100-yard freestyle while Junior Myron Miller finished third in the 100-yard butterfly in 55.20 last season.
Harrison also received Seeger transfer Wrede Johnson to its program. Johnson won the 200-yard freestyle at the Crawfordsville sectional in 1:48.10 and 100-yard backstroke in 53.67 last season at Seeger.
Tajc might not be swimming but he's still a voice and can communicate knowledge of the sport towards teammates.
"I've had a couple of underclassmen come up and ask me questions about swimming, stroke patterns and activating your lats in the pool," Tajc said. "I've taken a good interest in what helps swimmers do better and that helps me in turn. It's kind of a full circle moment."
More: Harrison captures 2nd straight boys swimming sectional title
Tajc doesn't know when his timetable is to begin competing.
But he's reminded that recovery, like swim practice itself, happens through consistent and steady improvement.
He hasn't worried about how his team will do without him. Rather, he's encouraging the teammates who have stepped up in his place to add more history, trophies and tradition for Harrison.
"The main thing has been the team," Tajc said. "I don't know if they know it or not but me being there for them is helping them and it's motivating for me and to show them this isn't over. It sucks to lose one of your swimmers, but it's shown that other guys have stepped up a lot. I'm very proud of them and they've been motivating me."
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Harrison junior swimmer Rocco Tajc shares battle with torn Achilles
Continue reading...
