Marysville-Pilchuck swimmers flourish behind community support

Despite the high level of success Hannah Taylor has achieved as just a freshman, her mother, Christy, likely can’t be found near the pool cheering her on.

MARYSVILLE — Despite the high level of success Hannah Taylor has achieved as just a freshman, her mother, Christy, likely can’t be found near the pool cheering her on.

“I can’t watch her — I get too nervous,” Christy said. “I’ll be over by the divers, reading a magazine and watching the timer.”

But don’t let that fool you, Hannah and the 11 other Marysville-Pilchuck swimmers who earned a trip to the state meet are not lacking in support.

In fact, the level of support Marysville swimmers receive is rare for a sport outside of the big three, and coach Jaci LeGore Hodgins knows it.

“I am truly blessed to be surrounded by swimming gurus and such great kids,” she said between instructing her assistant coaches to decide which drill the swimmers should do.

Amassing a community of volunteers just doesn’t appear out of nowhere, however, it comes from a number of people sharing a similar goal. And that goal is being realized this year.

“We knew coming into this year that we were going to be able to break a lot of the records on that board,” said junior Jewel LeValley, who qualified for the state meet as an individual, and part of a pair of relays. “Every one of the girls (that went to state) was on the (Mighty) Marlins at one point.”

All of the M-P state swimmers have known each other for a number of years. Some of them, such as Hannah, have been swimming for the Marysville area select team since they were 9, requiring a high level of dedication by both the swimmer and her parents.

“That is the common denominator,” LeGore Hogins said, referring to the year-round swimming program. Also helping is an open communication from LeGore Hogins and Marlins coach Kirby Schafler, which not the norm.

“I’ve seen it where pride can get in the way (of high school and club collaboration),” LeGore Hogins said. “But Kirby is my sensei — he is the reason why were are as good as we are.”

The two coaches make joint decisions on how to train the girls year-round, creating a continuity that is now breeding success, as shown by the Tomahawks’ second place District 1 Meet finish Nov. 7.

But there is something else too. A community has evolved around the program.

Jewel, who competed in her third state meet this season, sees her father, Randy, at every meet — but not in the stands. Instead Randy is running the computerized timing system and the scoreboard.

“He even gets all the times of the other (Wesco) teams and creates a cyber meet to see how we compare beforehand!” LeGore Hodgins said.

Jewel’s brother Trevor, who graduated in 2008, set a number of records for the boys team.

Christy, who swam for the University of Arizona, is an assistant coach for Marysville. Also, diving coach Dick Caldwell works feverishly on technique. He and his wife Tami, who also volunteers at the meets, had a daughter in the program. Even Schafler has a daughter on the team, Caroline.

Also around to help is former M-P standout Emily (Hutson) Emery, who owned a number of the records before Hannah broke them this year, and swam at San Jose State, can often be on hand to teach.

“Having a relationship with all the people involved is really nice. Everybody is on the same page and knows what we’re doing,” Hannah said.