Former M-W star swimmer drowns at lifeguard tryouts

| 03 Jun 2016 | 04:03

By Odeya Pinkus
This week, the Monroe-Woodbury community mourns the passing of a former student, athlete and friend.
Jack Jakubek, a 2012 graduate, tragically died while competing for a lifeguard position at Pilgrim Lake in Orleans, Mass.
According to Orleans Fire-Rescue Department, a swimmer went missing around 8:49 a.m., on Saturday, May 28. A male in his 20s was found at approximately 9:23 a.m. He was later pronounced dead at Cape Cod Hospital.
The 22-year-old was a recent alumnus of the State University of New York at Cortland. According to SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum, Jakubek had graduated only two weeks earlier after majoring in outdoor recreation, and was preparing to come back to his alma mater.
“Jack had planned to return to Cortland in the fall to pursue his master’s degree and serve as a graduate assistant coach with both the Cortland adapted swim team and the varsity teams,” Bitterbaum wrote in a press release.
At Cortland, he is remembered for his incredible leadership and athleticism.
“[Jakubek] was a record-breaking captain of the SUNY Cortland swim team and a highly respected and well-liked member of the SUNY Cortland community,” Bitterbaum wrote.
According to the Cortland Athletic website, Jakubek was extremely accomplished in his sport, setting school time records for the 200 breaststroke during the 2015-2016 season and winning multiple SUNY Athletic Conference honors.
“He was an outstanding young man who understood more than most,” wrote Brian Tobin, head swim coach at SUNY Cortland, in a Facebook post. “He will be truly missed.”
Even before his time in college, Jakubek’s skill and passion for swimming was evident.
Justin Wright, swim coach at Monroe-Woodbury, said that Jakubek was a member of the varsity team for six years after joining in the seventh grade. He was a two-year captain, and helped lead the team to a division title in his senior year.
According to Cortland’s athletic website, Jakubek won multiple league and section titles, and was a member of a placing relay team at a state championship, all during his high school athletic career.
But beyond just his accolades and awards, Jakubek is remembered by those who knew him for being a truly extraordinary man.
“I think the most important takeaway on Jack is not who he was as a student athlete, which was exceptional, but the progress he had made as a student-athlete at SUNY Cortland and moreover as a person,” Wright said.
Wright observed that Jakubek was wise beyond his years.
“For a 22-year-old young man, Jack had things figured out more than most 22-year-olds," Wright said. "He had a vision for what he was going to do.”
Besides swimming, Jakubek’s passions involved nature and the outdoors. He had recently completed an internship at the Lime Hollow Nature Center in Cortland, where he helped establish a day camp. The experience led him to a resolve to seek a future career as an environmental educator and activist, according to an online obituary.
“Your selflessness toward the bigger picture and life was something I hope we all one day learn,” wrote friend and classmate Alex Rosario on Facebook. “Your connectedness to nature stands unmatched.”
At Monroe-Woodbury, Jakubek's teammates and peers also saw him as someone who encouraged them to do better.
“You inspired me to push through practice every day, even when I didn't want to,” wrote classmate Ryan Lockhart in a Facebook post. “You were a great mentor but an even better person.”
Jakubek carried this sort of motivational drive into his college career.
“You were a motivator, a teacher and always had positive energy,” wrote Grequan Carter, a fellow Cortland athlete, in a Facebook post. “I'm thankful I had the opportunity of knowing you.”
It’s clear that Jakubek struck a chord with all whom he encountered.
“It’s certainly beyond sad that he won’t be able to carry out or fulfill his legacy,” Wright said. “But he was the type of young man who certainly left an imprint with lots of folks around, who will make sure that his legacy is carried out.”
Read Jack Jakubek's obituary
page 20