Four years – four state titles! It doesn’t get any better than that, and that is exactly what a small group of Pioneer seniors accomplished during their four years of varsity swimming. They all had to at least tie a record for most state titles in a single sport during a high school career and it wasn’t without sacrifice and a lot of hard work.
“It’s been an honor to be a member of this team,” said Stella Chapman, one of those seniors to win four state titles. “I think there are many factors to this sort of success, but one of the biggest factors has been this team’s incredible work ethic and our coaches’ belief in all of us and our abilities.”
Chapman had/has special abilities and an incredible drive to succeed. She was one of Pioneer’s top swimmers ever since she jumped in the pool as a freshman and was a key factor in the program’s amazing success. And she leaves behind multiple school records in her wake.
Pioneer won its fourth consecutive MHSAA Division 1 State Championship in November in the Jones Natatorium at Eastern Michigan University with 301 points. Grand Haven was a distant second with 237.5 points.
And it was quite a day for Chapman, who won two individual races on the day and in record fashion. She broke her meet record and the Pioneer varsity record in the 100 backstroke, improving from 53.69 seconds last year to 53.54 seconds in November. She out-touched Jenison’s Grace Albrecht, who took second in 54.73. She won the 200 IM with a Pioneer varsity record winning time of 1:59.49 (teammate Yan Yee Adler was second in the race).
Chapman also was a member of two runner-up relay teams, the medley relay and the 400 free relay. So, two golds and two silvers for those keeping score.
“This year’s team was young and big,” Chapman said. “Although our ages and grades varied, I think this was one of the closest teams I have been on so far. Everyone seemed to be interconnected, and we were all able to get to know each other pretty well.”
Chapman’s swimming career splashed off when she was just 4 years old. “I liked how swimming was more focused and consistent than many other sports,” she said of her early days in the water. “It was almost predictable. It also used to tire me out and help me sleep when I was younger.”
She competed year-round with both Pioneer and Club Wolverine and swims six days a week, using a mix of lifting and plyometric exercises to stay in top physical shape.
“I stay motivated to swim and get up at 5 in the morning because I knew when I got up everyday that I’d be getting into a pool and swimming with some of my closest friends who have the best sense of humor,” she says. “It’s hard to lose motivation when you know you’re going to have a good time with friends.”
When she heads to the starting block, she says she tries to not think too far ahead in her races. “The main thing I am focused on is maintaining control over myself and my race plan,” she says. “There are a lot of things at meets that are out of your control and when I was younger I found that awfully overwhelming. I’ve worked hard the past few years to be able to be in the moment while I step up on the blocks.”
Stella, 17, is the daughter of Sylvia Marino and Doug Chapman. She is part of the Baking Club at Pioneer and her other interests outside of sports includes painting and ceramics.
She will continue her swimming career at the University of Wisconsin. “I picked Wisconsin because I felt like the coaches really took the time to get to know me. Also, the team seems close and they all care about similar goals.”
Any advice for young swimmers out there who might have dreams of winning a state title – let alone four – someday?
“I would probably tell them to stick with the sport because it feels as though over time things get easier,” she says. “I think in reality though, you are just learning how to deal with fatigue better. I think it’s a really cool thing to look back on and see how far you’ve come.”
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