Colleen Woods had so much more competition than just the other swimmers in the pool last month at the state championship meet.
She had to overcome a tough ruling from the judges. She had to overcome the fear of repeating the error.
Colleen Woods had to focus on the positive.
“I tried to remind myself that swimming is like a family, and I want to make my family proud,” Woods said.
So after a stunning incident in the 100-yard butterfly qualifying race on Friday — she was disqualified — she returned to the King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way the next day to compete in the finals of the 50-yard freestyle.
“I was so in the zone. Everything else was quiet,” Woods said.
“I had to prove myself. I wanted to prove to myself that after everything that I had gone through, disqualifying in one event, that I could come back and put that behind me.
“I was proud of myself.”
Woods, a junior from Heritage, finished fourth in the 50 freestyle that day, the top finisher at state among Clark County swimmers this season.
Plus, she was seeded third in the 100 butterfly. While that event did not go her way, her overall excellence throughout the year — including being part of a Heritage relay team that reached state — has made her the choice for The Columbian’s All-Region girls swimmer of the year.
In 2014, Woods finished fourth in the butterfly. This could have been her event this year. Instead, she noticed an official standing near her block as she completed her qualifying race.
“That’s never a good thing,” Woods said.
So sorry. You’ve been disqualified. You flinched on the block.
Weeks later, Woods is not entirely convinced it was the right call.
But she acknowledges that she has a reputation for quick starts and perhaps that played into the decision. Regardless, there was no avenue to appeal.
“I was so disappointed. I cried and cried,” Woods said.
Soon enough, she snapped out of her funk.
“I was not gong to let that define me,” Woods said. “I was coming back (for the 50 freestyle) the next day.”
She reached her goal of finishing her seed or better when she touched the wall in fourth place. She thanked her coach, Dave Shoup, for all he did for her.
“One more practice, pushing myself to the limit, it all pays off in the long run,” Woods said. “That’s what I saw when I saw ‘fourth’ by my name.”
It is not just the individual success that defined Woods’ 2015 season. A sophomore (Haley Miller) and two freshmen (Melia Franklin and Alora Crone) teamed with Woods to become the first relay team (200 freestyle) from Heritage at state this decade.
“We worked our hardest. If you really want it, we can do it,” Woods said. “They had the dream, and I was determined.”
Woods joined a swim club when she was 5 years old, and her favorite movie is “The Little Mermaid.”
“I always wanted to be a mermaid and have a lot of fish be my friends,” she said.
Instead, her friends, her extended family, swim with her every day.
In 2015, Woods and her friends made a lot of memories.
All-Region Girls Swimming Team
Corrine Bintz, Camas
The senior qualified for the Class 4A state meet in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
Livi Cox, Union
Injured all season, the senior placed 10th at 4A state in the 200 individual medley and 13th in the 500 freestyle.
Hanna Eha, Skyview
The sophomore placed 13th at the 4A state meet in the 200 individual medley and 15th in the 100 breaststroke.
Kara Noftsker, Columbia River
The sophomore placed eighth in the 3A state meet in the 100 freestyle and 12th in the 200 freestyle.
Sruthi Ravi, Mountain View
The freshman placed eighth in 4A state meet in the 100 backstroke and also qualified for state in the 50 free.
Makena Wilcox, Columbia River
The sophomore placed 16th in the 3A state meet in the 50 freestyle and 16th in the 100 butterfly.
