Coaching changes seem to have little negative effect on the Oak Harbor High School girls swim team. Regardless of the turnover, the group keeps churning out wins year-after-year.
Erin Bull, the team’s fourth head coach in five years, can continue that trend with the help of eight returning letter winners.
Among the returnees are two all-conference athletes, senior captain Mollie Briddell and junior Marissa Morris.
Briddell earned first-team honors in the 100 backstroke last fall after picking up first-team honors in the 400 freestyle relay as a sophomore.
She was 22nd in the backstroke in the state 3A meet last year.
Morris has dominated the Wesco North in the longer swims the past two years, picking up first-team honors in the 200 and 500 freestyles as a freshman and sophomore.
In the 2013 state meet, she placed 13th in the 500 and 17th in the 200.
Elizabeth Brooks and Elise Still are other returning senior letter winners, and the upperclassmen are setting a good example, according to Bull.
“We have a motivating group of seniors who are already leading the team in practices,” Bull said. “I know this will continue throughout the season as the girls push each other to do better and improve with each passing meet. The girls will conquer this season with great success.”
Juniors Sophia Dickinson and Mariel Empinado and sophomores Sydney Dickinson and Erica Sugatan round out the group of returning letter winners.
As a freshman, Sugatan finished fifth in the 200 medley and seventh in the 100 backstroke in last fall’s district meet. She and Sophia Dickson were also members on the seventh-place 200 free relay team.
Key newcomers are freshmen Taliah Black, Jillian Pape, Baelee Whitinger, Anna Kate Fahey, Grace Korsmo, Sierra Thompson and Rachelle Liban.
Bull has three goals for the season: one, for the swimmers to leave the season enjoying the sport; two, for the athletes to meet their personal and team goals; and three, for them to leave with lifelong friendships and memories.
“We have a strong group of swimmers this year who are dedicated to the sport and committed to improvement,” Bull said.
The team’s greatest weakness, she added, is the lack of a diving program.
The season will be a success, according to Bull, if the “athletes train hard during practice to develop a sense of drive and accountability at the meets.”
Oak Harbor will attend the Wesco North Jamboree at Marysville-Pilchuck at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11. The first regular-season meet is 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, at Everett, followed by a 6 p.m. home meet with Monroe Monday, Sept. 22.
