When Corey Winter completed his first season competing at the high school level he thought for certain that he’d improve his sophomore year.

Winter definitely improved, landing Valley Oak League and Sac-Joaquin Section championships, as well as the Manteca Bulletin’s All-Area Boys Swimmer of the Year honor.

Winter built upon a freshman season where he captured the VOL title in the 100 butterfly, expanding on his first-year success with another VOL title in the same event and a second in the 200 individual medley. Winter would really get going in the SJS meets, nabbing the only section championship for area swimmers.

“Coming into this season I knew that I was going to be decent,” Winter said. “But I didn’t know that I was going to win my section events.

“That to me was amazing.”

Winter’s 200 IM finishing time was nearly four seconds faster than his preliminary qualifying time. The frosh-soph championship swim during the finals was nearly two full seconds faster than his nearest competitor.

“I knew coming into the finals that I had a chance at winning,” Winter said. “So I just swam my hardest; I really, really pushed myself that race. I felt good in the pool, I felt like I was going fast.

“When I got out of the pool I was all shaky; I knew it was because I did good.”

Winter did good all season, as did his Ripon Indians program, and the standout sophomore attributes the majority of their program’s success to head coach Eric Zador. Zador was definitely instrumental in ushering Winter into his unprecedented success and will play a prominent role through the remainder of his swimming career.

“I am glad that I am coached by him,” Winter said of Zador. “He knows what I can do to get better and he pushes me. Everything that he teaches and stresses is helpful.”

When asked how much of the early success of the Indians’ program can be attributed to Zador, Winter wasn’t shy.

“All of it,” he said without hesitation.

It’s hard to avoid looking to the future of an athlete with such extreme upside. Winter’s times in the 200-IM (1:59.96) at the frosh-soph level were nearly top five at the varsity level. With consecutive seasons with drastic improvements, an intense run at a varsity section title almost seems expected.

“I want to win a varsity section championship,” Winter admitted. “But I don’t know what the future holds. I will just have to continue in training like I have been and try to continue to get better.”

A morning workout at 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and then a dry-land workout for 90 minutes. A return to the pool at 4 p.m. for 90 minutes, five days a week for the duration of the summer. This is the routine Winter follows along with a determined, focused group of Indian teammates.

“I don’t want to get too cocky,” Winter said of his team’s chances at another VOL championship run. “But we have different swimmers that excel at different events, so we all have our events.

“We are definitely going to be a well-rounded squad.”