Loy Norrix Swim & Dive Rooted in Community
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
November 12, 2019
KALAMAZOO — When Paul Mahar was hired to coach at Loy Norrix High School, he had nine returning swimmers on a team of just 14 girls.
That was in 2004, and the program was on the verge of becoming a co-op with Kalamazoo Central High School.
But Mahar turned the girls swimming & diving program around in a “rags to riches” story, said athletic director Andrew Laboe.
Norrix has 45 girls on this year’s team, with two individual and three relay team qualifiers so far for the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals on Nov. 22-23 at Oakland University.
Four divers – juniors Samantha Vande Pol, Laurel Wolfe, Sofie Santos and freshman Wen Wadsworth – are all headed to Regionals this week hoping to qualify for the Finals as well.
“(Mahar) has built a program through blood, sweat and tears with excitement, building a community education youth program and through the non-stop drumbeat of recruiting within our school,” Laboe said.
The Knights ended the regular season with a 7-2 record, including a win over perennial power Battle Creek Lakeview.
“Beating Lakeview was a big milestone for them,” Laboe said. “(Norrix is) a very young team this year, and we are hoping to build on that in the next years.”
Senior Carly Loken said a key to the team’s success is the girls’ relationships with each other.
“We have a lot of girls who swam club, and we’re all friends,” she said. “Also, (it helps) being able to pull in kids their freshman and sophomore years and welcome them into the group, and (we) really enjoy spending time together.”
Mahar prefers to deflect the attention from himself to the athletes, but his enthusiasm for the program is evident.
“My first few years I just had my upperclassmen pull kids in, just kids recruiting kids,” he said. “The last 10 years or so with me being in the building (as a teacher), I’ve been able to create relationships with kids and bring them out.
“Just siblings coming out and friends bringing friends out, that’s the big part of it.”
Loy Norrix finished third at the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference championships over the weekend, not a surprise to sophomore Annika Schnell.
“It’s important that we have fast girls, but we also have swimmers who hold our team together,” she said. “We have a lot of depth.”
Community strong
One key to Mahar’s success is a community program he started which now includes K-Central.
“The first few years it was called Knights United,” he said. “Then we had a great conversation with Kalamazoo Central parents to bring swimming back to the city of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo Public Schools.
“We sat down and agreed we would come together, so we changed it to Kalamazoo United. We started with 25 boys and girls, and now we’re at about 250 kids year round.”
The program, hosted six months at Norrix and six at Central, includes children as young as 4 years old in the “Learn to Swim” class, and up to 18 years old.
Schnell, who became the first Knight headed to the MHSAA Finals when she qualified in the 50-yard freestyle, started in the community program at age 9 and now works with the younger swimmers.
Over the weekend, she also qualified in the 100 butterfly.
One advantage, she said, is having the same coach when girls transition to the high school team.
Mahar agreed.
“The majority of the kids who are on the team I’ve known since they were in third or fourth grade. So I’ve created a relationship with all these kids who are in the water right now for over a decade, and it’s been really great,” he said.
Loken also came through the community program.
“Coach Mahar has been my coach ever since I was little, so I kind of grew up with him and I always knew that I wanted to be a part of this environment,” she said.
“I remember one practice when I was little, (high schoolers) came and helped us with strokes, and I really liked that and wanted to be a part of that group.”
Schnell qualified for the Finals last year and, while she did not make it to the second day’s championship and consolation races, she said it was a good learning experience.
“I didn’t do so hot last year,” she said. “I had an injury. That wasn’t very fun.
“This year, I’m hoping to make one more cut than last year. I didn’t really come in prepared last year, but now I have experience. It’s always good to go with friends.”
Schnell will have a few friends with her this year, with junior Ellie Haase in the 100 backstroke and all three relay teams headed to Oakland so far.
‘No captains, all leaders’
The coach encourages swimmers to be leaders.
“We decided to take away captains, and we asked the girls to start building better relations with each other and create leaders over there,” Mahar said. “Our motto is ‘No captains, all leaders.’
“That creates an opportunity for a newbie, which we call a first-year kid or a freshman or sophomore, a chance to step up and be a leader in some way. It doesn’t always have to be in the pool. Maybe it’s in the locker room. Maybe it’s in the classroom.”
Mahar, who retired this year from coaching the school’s boys team, said when he was first hired, he had no idea that he would still be at Norrix 15 years later.
“I’m fortunate that I made the decision to stay in Kalamazoo, not only to teach but also coach and raise my family here,” he said. “I have two female swimmers who will be coming up soon, so I’m excited about that.”
Those are his daughters, Grace, an eighth grader, and Lillian, a sixth grader. Both participate in the community feeder program.
“I’m very fortunate that I have so many families, parents, athletes who have stuck with us and built this together, and that’s really the only reason we are as successful as we are today,” he said.
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Kalamazoo Loy Norrix celebrates its victory at the Allegan Invitational this fall. (Middle) Clockwise from top left: Carly Loken, Annika Schnell, Ellie Haase and coach Paul Mahar. (Below) Haase prepares to launch during one of her races. (Top and below photos and Haase head shot courtesy of the Loy Norrix girls swimming & diving program; Loken, Schnell and Mahar head shots by Pam Shebest.)
Preview: Reigning Champs, Freshman Standouts Among Anticipated Pacesetters
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
November 21, 2024
Last season’s team champions are expected to continue building on their title streaks at this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Girls Swimming & Diving Finals.
Ann Arbor Pioneer is seeking a fifth-straight championship in Division 1, East Grand Rapids is seeking a second-straight in Division 3 but fourth consecutive overall, and Farmington Hills Mercy is favored to repeat in Division 2.
As always, several standouts also will contend for individual titles, with seniors and juniors dominating those conversations in all three divisions – but a pair of freshmen in Division 2 making major waves as well.
Competition begins at noon for Friday’s preliminaries and Saturday’s championships. Friday’s action will begin with swimming, with divers taking the pool approximately 3:30 p.m. at all three sites. Tickets cost $11 both days, and all three Finals will be streamed live on MHSAA.tv both days. Click for information on purchasing tickets, plus schedules and qualifiers for all three meets.
Lower Peninsula Division 1 at Holland Aquatic Center
Reigning champion: Ann Arbor Pioneer
2023 runner-up: Grand Haven
2024 top-ranked: 1. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 2. Jenison, 3. Northville.
Ann Arbor Pioneer has won four straight Division 1 championships, and another would give this recent group the second-longest title streak in program history behind the 2000-08 teams that won nine consecutive. Pioneer has all three relays and an incredible 26 individual entries seeded to score (among the top 16 in their respective races), plus three divers competing – so another title wouldn’t stun anyone. Jenison has been rising – finishing runner-up in Division 2 in 2022 and third in Division 1 a year ago – and should make a run at the top spots again. Jenison has all three relays and 13 individual entries seeded to score. Northville, the runner-up in 2022 and seventh last year, has all three relays and 10 individual entries seeded to score, plus a diver.
Makenzie Baldwin, Holland West Ottawa senior: She finished fourth in the 100-yard backstroke and fifth in the 200 freestyle last season, and she’s seeking her first championship seeded seventh in the 200 free but first in the backstroke (56.48).
Elizabeth Eichbrecht, West Bloomfield junior: She’s claimed the 200 and 500 freestyle championships both of her first two seasons, and she’s seeded first in both in 1:50.67 and 4:51.29, respectively – with the 500 time more than 14 seconds faster than the field.
Cambell Quijano, Rockford senior: After finishing 10th in the 100 butterfly and 13th in the 200 free as a junior, she’s replaced the 200 with the 100 backstroke and is seeded first in the butterfly (56.59).
Bailey Robinson, Bloomfield Hills sophomore: She debuted last season finishing sixth in the 50 freestyle and fourth in the 500, and she’s seeded first in both sprints this weekend with a 23.07 in the 50 and 50.25 in the 100 freestyle – the latter by nearly a second.
Sophia Umstead, Jenison senior: She’ll look to cap her high school career by adding to her two-year totals of four individual and four relay championships – including titles in Division 1 last season in the butterfly and 100 breaststroke and as part of the 200 free and medley relays. She enters this weekend with the top seeds in the 200 individual medley by more than six seconds (1:59.72) and by two seconds in the breaststroke (1:00.68), and she’s likely to swim on the top-seeded 200 medley relay (1:44.59) and second-seeded 200 free relay (1:36.56).
Ann Arbor Pioneer 200 freestyle relay: The Pioneers – potentially of seniors Ursula Ott and Reese Heidenreich, junior Katelyn Van Ryn and sophomore Cecilia Walusek – could make a run at the meet record of 1:32.85 swam by Jenison just last year. The Pioneers’ seed time is 1:33.54.
Tristan Krajcarski, Oxford senior: After finishing third last season – a little more than 25 points off the lead – Krajcarski posted the top qualifying score at her Regional (462.55) by more than 117 points, and her score was 71 points higher than any others in all of Division 1.
Lower Peninsula Division 2 at Oakland University
Reigning champion: Farmington Hills Mercy
2023 runner-up: Birmingham Seaholm
2024 top-ranked: 1. Farmington Hills Mercy, 2. Grosse Pointe South, 3. Birmingham Seaholm.
Mercy won last season’s championship by nearly 130 points and enters this weekend with all three relays and 19 individuals seeded to score, and three divers competing. Grosse Pointe South is seeking to move up from fifth a year ago and could with three relays and 14 individual entries seeded among the top 16 in their respective races. Seaholm is seeking to climb the podium again after most recently winning three straight Finals from 2019-21. The Maples have three relays and 14 individuals seeded to score, two more just outside the top 16 seeds in their events, and a diver competing.
Caroline Bryan, Grosse Pointe South freshman: She’ll make her Finals debut seeded first in the butterfly (55.47), second in the backstroke (57.29) and likely to swim on the second-seeded 400 freestyle (3:35.5) and 200 medley (1:47.98) relays.
Tess Heavner, Fenton senior: After winning the backstroke and IM last season, she’ll attempt to cap her high school career with two more titles seeded first in those races in 55.90 and 2:05.32, respectively.
Amelia Malarz, Midland Dow freshman: Another standout freshman, she’s seeded first in the breaststroke (1:04.24) by more than a second, third in the IM (2:08.13) and is likely to swim on two top-six relays.
Vera Roberson, Midland Dow sophomore: She debuted last year by finishing sixth in the 50 and eighth in the 100 freestyle and is expected to take a sizable jump, seeded first in both the 50 (23.70) and 100 (51.78) and also likely to swim on two top-six relays.
Adrienne Schadler, Ann Arbor Skyline sophomore: She seeded first in the 200 freestyle (1:48.61) by more than six seconds after winning the race last season as a freshman, and also seeded first in the 500 (4:53.63) by more than 14 seconds after finishing runner-up in that race a year ago.
Avery Tack, Farmington Hills Mercy sophomore: Her first Finals in 2023 saw her finish third in the 100 and 200 freestyles and swim on the winning 200 free relay and runner-up 400 free. She’s seeded second this time in the IM to Heavner (2:07.98) and in the butterfly to Bryan (56.26) and likely to swim on top-seeded 200 free (1:36.31) and 400 free (3:32.01) relays.
Bronwyn Minnick, East Lansing senior: She placed 10th last season but posted a 395.75 to win her Regional qualifier by 24.3 points with the highest score in all of Division 2.
Lower Peninsula Division 3 at Eastern Michigan University
Reigning champion: East Grand Rapids
2023 runner-up: Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood
2024 top-ranked: 1. East Grand Rapids, 2. Holland Christian, 3. Bloomfield Hills Marian.
East Grand Rapids has won three straight Finals championships – in Division 3 last year and 2021, and in Division 2 in 2022 – and enters this weekend with three relays and 19 individuals seeded to score, and two divers competing. All three relays are seeded first, as are four of those individual race entries. Holland Christian finished fifth last season after placing second two years ago, and will hope to move back up with three relays and six individual entries seeded to score and three divers. Marian won Division 3 in 2022 and finished third a year ago, and will attempt to make its move with three relays and eight individuals seeded to score, plus a pair of divers.
Ellery Chandler, East Grand Rapids junior: She added the breaststroke championship and two relay wins last season to her Division 2 relay title from 2022, and is seeded first this time in the breaststroke (1:04.91) and butterfly (57.33) and slated to swim on the top-seeded 200 medley (1:48.29) and 200 freestyle (1:37.73) relays.
Ella Dziobak, Dearborn Divine Child junior: She’s the two-time reigning champion in the 500 and seeded first in that race in 5:08.30, and also seeded third in the 200 free (1:56.76) after finishing third in that race a year ago.
Scarlet Maison, Standish-Sterling senior: She placed third in the IM and fifth in the breaststroke last season and will enter this weekend seeded first in the IM (2:08.53) and fifth in the breaststroke as she attempts to add to her championship in the IM won in 2021.
Camryn Siegers, Holland Christian sophomore: The reigning champion in the backstroke and runner-up in the 100 freestyle is seeded this time first in both the 50 (23.58) and backstroke (56.40).
Kate Simon, East Grand Rapids senior: She’s won a combined two individual and five relay championships over her first three seasons and is the reigning title winner in the 100 and 200 freestyles. She’s seeded first in both by significant margins, at 50.92 in the 100 and 1:49.24 in the 200, and she’s also expected to swim on the 200 and 400 free relays.
Laney Woof, Wayland junior: She’s seeded second in the 50 (24.03) and third in the 100 freestyle (54.01) after winning the 50 last season and finishing third in the 100.
Anna McAllister, Chelsea sophomore: Last season’s fourth-place finisher scored a 379.80 to win her Regional qualifier by 41.3 points and outpace the field in all of Division 3 by 12.25 points.
PHOTO Fenton’s Tess Heavner swims to the championship in the 200 individual medley during last season’s Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)