There may not be a pool in New England that he hasn't slipped into...high school pools, college pools, YMCA pools, club pools.

Over the weekend he just got back from the Nassau County, Long Island, New York pool.

Not too long ago, it was pools at Harvard, MIT, Wellesley, the Mayers Natatorium at Sekonk High, the Dentch Natatorium at Attleboro High.

Over the Christmas holiday period, it was a pool in Scotland, where the Scottish Men's National Team trains.

Last summer, it was a pool in Irvine, California. Before that, pools in Canada and Florda. This summer, it will be in Indianapolis. In September, it will be a pool in South Bend, Indiana - on the campus of Notre Dame University. "I played soccer, I played basketball, I played baseball - until my freshman year at Bishop Feehan, I was decent in all of them, but swimming was my calling," explained Shamrock record-setting, jet-setting Mike Sullivan.

The reigning MIAA state champion in the 100 backstroke and runnerup in the 200 individual medley, a Shamrock with his name in the Bishop Feehan record books a half-dozen times, Sullivan swims and studies, swims and studies, travels, swims and studies.

"You might get tired a little bit, but it never really lasts, it's so rewarding," said Sullivan, having just returned for the USSF (U.S. Swimming Federation) Spring Long Course Championship Meet all of last week on Long Island, competing in the 200 and 200 backstroke, the 400 individual medley and several relays with his home club, the Bluefish Swim Club.

No sooner had Sullivan helped Bishop Feehan take home the Southern Conference and MIAA Division 2 South Sectional championships, a week later he was in the Bloodgett Pool at Harvard, competing in the USSF Sectional Meet in six "open division" events, finishing third in the 400 IM, fourth in the 200 backstroke and eighth in the 1000 freestyle.

Unfortunately for Sullivan, the USSF Long Course meet in New York was some two weeks later and he lost his pace, his stroke, somewhere along Route 95. "I didn't swim too well, I don't think that I rested well enough," said Sullivan. "I've done meets like that before, maybe it was too long of a wait."

You can excuse Sullivan, though, because the 5-foot-10, 160-pound dynamo in the tank, rarely, if ever, disappoints. "I never really have a break, I go from club swimming in the fall to the high school season, then back to the club season for the spring and summer," said the Adirondack Swim Club (Franklin) lifeguard.

"It's six days a week of practice, usually two hours being the minimum each day," said Sullivan, the second link in the line of brothers to represent Bishop Feehan, elder brother P.J., now representing the University of Virginia, and younger brother Patrick, a Shamrock freshman.

Maybe because P.J. was a swimmer or maybe because he found swimming to be an enjoyable pursuit at an early age, Sullivan made the decision to concentrate on chlorine, to be a full-time swimmer. "I felt that if I stuck to one sport, that maybe that was my best chance to get as good as I can be. That if I don't devote the time and put all of my energy into it, I won't be as successful."

Sullivan proved to be more than good during his career at Bishop Feehan.

"P.J. was a good swimmer and they kind of expected the same from me," said Sullivan. "He's better in the longer freestyles, but in my best event, the 200 backstroke, I'll beat him." Sullivan swims every event, but has no idea why he has become a backstroker of renown. He's not lanky, but he carries a powerful physique and personality. "I've been real lucky too that I haven't had any injuries."

Dozens of colleges wrote to him, a dozen were serious enough to make calls and contact him. Before the high school season began, Sullivan selected the up-and-coming Notre Dame program over joining his brother at Virginia or diving into the Big Ten with Northwestern.

As swiftly as Sullivan swam to the wall for Bishop Feehan, he was always cognizant of what his peers, in high school or USSF, were clocking for times. "It's fair to judge how well you'll do," said Sullivan. "You can tell how much better other people are and what you have to do to get better. Some of these kids at the meets are ridiculously fast."

Swimming for the Shamrocks or the Bluefish is self-motivational, according to Sullivan. His placements help Bishop Feehan take home hardware, his times help the Bluefish gain more notoriety around New England.

Fortunately too, for Sullivan that because he and the Bluefish excel so often and so much, expenses for the USSF meets are underwritten, offsetting any family out of pocket funds. "That's the one thing, at least for me, swimming for Bishop Feehan or the Bluefish, I can't let my team down - that's why it's so easy practicing.

"Swimming has helped me meet a lot of people I would not have normally met and swimming has definitely changed me. It's a fun sport, but I'm more determined, more devoted."

And more driven to get to where he wants to go, wherever that pool may be.

PETER GOBIS can be reached at 508-236-0375 or at pgobis@thesunchronicle.com.