Baldwin High School’s Logan Castillo wins the boys 200 individual medley Friday. — The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
KIHEI — Jack Pope was back in his element on Friday night at the Kihei Aquatic Center.
The six-time state champion for Lahainaluna High School was helping coach swimmers from Lahaina Swim Club who were competing for several schools at Maui Interscholastic League meet No. 1.
A group of about 30 Lahaina Swim Club swimmers are currently practicing at the KAC in South Maui. Lahainaluna has four active swimmers.
“It’s been a struggle, but the support from the parents is obviously pertinent, it’s the most key thing to keeping any program going,” Pope said. “Keeping everybody involved, keeping everybody excited, and also it’s a major relief for everybody to be able to come out and get in the water.”
Pope, a teacher at Lahaina Intermediate School, is helping Lahainaluna head coach Tom Popdan coach both the Lunas and LSC swimmers.
Maui Prep’s Sacha Salem wins the girls 200 individual medley. — The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
“It’s a huge deal for all of us, just to have any community support that comes up and shows faith, hey, it’s been great,” said Pope, whose house on Wahikuli Street is uninhabitable after the deadly Aug. 8 wildfire ravaged Lahaina.
Popdan was Pope’s coach when he was in high school before a standout career at University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif.
“This is so much nostalgia for me,” Pope said as he peered out at the action in the pool. “This is what keeps me coming back to these things. It’s a whole lot of nostalgia.”
There was that kind of vibe all over the deck at the meet as swimmers from Lahainaluna and Maui Prep competed with their MIL brethren for the first time since the devastation near their homes.
Popdan lost his home and his job at Sacred Hearts Academy due to the fire. He was clearly back where he belonged on Friday night.
Lahainaluna’s Jake McGill swims to a sixth-place finish in the boys 200 free Friday. — The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
He spends his summers on the Mainland and was not on island for the fire.
The Lahaina Aquatic Center was damaged in the fire and is not currently usable.
“Well, there was a period of time where I wasn’t even sure that I was going to come back because I lost everything,” Popdan said. “(LSC assistant) coach Jen Wiseman really worked hard to get me out here and when I came out I saw all the kids and I just had to come back.”
Popdan said that the meet was a chance for the swimmers to get back to a little bit of routine.
“I think everyone has taken different courses to get here, but I think there’s a lot of community, I think that the kids are supporting each other,” Popdan said. “I think this is their safe place, the pool and competition gives them an opportunity to have some stability and normalcy.”
Maui High’s Aika Swanson pulls away to win the girls 200 free. — The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Lahainaluna junior Jake McGill finished sixth in the boys 200-yard freestyle in 2:00.35, won the 50 free in 22.50, and was seventh in the 100 free in 54.17.
“It’s different, a lot less of a team, but we’re just trying to connect, stay in the pool as much as we can,” McGill said. “Just trying to stay in shape, good to be back in school. We’re just trying to stay in the pool, stay competitive. We’re having a good time so far.”
McGill, who was not displaced from his West Maui house, said practicing daily in South Maui is not easy. He drives himself to practice after school almost every day.
“It’s not as much of a challenge, it’s just the dedication comes with it,” McGill said.
Aika Swanson, a Maui High sophomore who was second in the 200 free and third in the 500 free last season at the K. Mark Takai/HHSAA state meet, started her season with an impressive 1:58.03 time in the 200 free.
Maui Prep’s Halia Caiserman swims the butterfly leg of her team’s winning medley relay race. — The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Later, she won the 50 in 25.48, won the 100 butterfly in 1:00.96 and won the 100 free in 54.08.
“I just came here to have fun and it’s a good experience,” Swanson said.
She said it was great to see the Lunas and Na Pueo competitors in the pool.
“It’s really cool, it’s nice to know that they’re all safe and they’re all happy and have a smile on their face and they’re talking and laughing,” Swanson said.
Miranda Somers is a freshman who was displaced from Lahaina to Kihei — she became the first swimmer to compete for Kulanihako’i High School, the brand-new high school in South Maui.
McGill
She finished eighth in the 50 free in 29.72 seconds and 12th in the 100 free in 1:05.25.
“I’m super excited to go there — I wasn’t planning on going there at first, but I’m happy to be there,” Somers said of her high school. “I’m trying to look at it as a positive outlook, which I think is positive. I’m super excited.”
Maui Prep has 18 swimmers, boys and girls combined, and has been allowed work out at the Breakers condominium complex pool in Honokowai.
Lindsey Stafford, a former swimmer at UCLA, is the first-year head coach for Na Pueo. She said being at the first MIL meet of the year was important for all involved.
“Huge, we’re very grateful, very grateful for the opportunity,” Stafford said. “We lost our pool, so our team T-shirt says ‘No pool, no excuses.’ We’re practicing at the Breakers, it’s a condo complex. We have two lanes, 25 meters. We were very lucky that the Breakers community are letting us practice there. It’s huge.”
Na Pueo are the defending MIL champions in both the boys and girls team chases, their first team titles in the sport. Defending those championships is at the front of their minds.
“We want to go for it, we feel lucky to even have a season,” Stafford said.
* Rob Collias is at
Somers
Today's breaking news and more in your inbox
Today • HHSAA swimming and diving 8:30 a.m.—State championships, dive finals, at Kihei Aquatic Center. 1 ...
BOWLING ALOHA FRIDAY LEAGUE Feb. 2 Results At Wailuku Lanes Standings—Anela’s 61, Jonathan’s 59.5, ...
Lola Donez scored 19 points in her final game with the Lahainaluna High School girls basketball team as the Lunas ...
Top-seeded Iolani School got a golden goal off the post in the 89th minute on Friday night for a 1-0 overtime win ...
Today • HHSAA swimming and diving 10 a.m.—State championships, dive prelims, at Kihei Aquatic ...
