West’s Maci McCullough set to swim against foes she once idolized

Maci McCullough’s goal for her freshman swimming season was to qualify for the state meet in every individual event on her first attempt.

It was a lofty goal, especially considering McCullough set it before she was even in middle school. Since she was 5, cheering on the swimmers her mother coached at the pool, McCullough has always wanted to be like the top swimmers.

So this freshman season at West has been years in the making for McCullough and she has been meticulous in her training to make sure it has gone according to plan, qualifying for all eight state events in the fastest amount of time possible entering Friday’s City League meet at Heights.

“I always saw other people doing it and I was like, ‘That would be really cool if someday I could do that,’ ” McCullough said. “That’s what has motivated me. Whenever I want to stop, I just think about that and it pushes me to try harder.”

Emily McCullough, Maci’s mother and coach at West, has marveled at her daughter’s dedication to the sport.

Maci started swimming year-round when she was 8 and it quickly became apparent she would be a standout. For Emily, the epiphany came when she was celebrating one of her high school swimmers making the state cut in the 500-yard freestyle and realized Maci, a sixth-grader at the time, had a faster time.

“That’s when I knew she was going to be something special,” Emily McCullough said. “It’s not like she just likes the sport or the coach and is doing it for fun. She’s going to be one of the ones to watch.”

Maci has become an elite middle-distance swimmer, but has the ability to excel in a sprint or long-distance race. She’s cracked 26 seconds in the 50 freestyle and posted a season-best time of 5:14.80 in the 500 free.

She will swim the 200 individual medley and 100 free at the City League meet on Friday, then because the KSHSAA allows a swimmer to compete in no more than two individual events at the state meet, McCullough will make a final decision on which two races to pursue a state medal in Topeka next Friday and Saturday.

“She comes up with these goals and it’s like she isn’t going to stop working until she accomplishes that goal,” said Paul McCullough, her father. “It’s been like a long journey to this point and now she’s accomplishing all these goals she set out for herself years ago. It’s been really exciting to watch.”

Emily was nervous about Maci’s goal of qualifying for every event in the first four meets. Not only would she not have much time in between meets, but she would have to accomplish it early in the season before she was preparing to peak in her races.

But Maci had no problems making the state cut in the 200 free (1:58.05), 200 IM (2:13.56), 50 free (25.96), 100 fly (1:02.66), 100 free (54.16), 500 free (5:14.80), 100 back (1:01.69), and 100 breast (1:12.02).

“It was just incredible to watch,” Emily said. “The first one went down, then the second, then the third and the fourth. She had all eight of them in the first four meets and that was just amazing to watch her to accomplish that goal.”

“I remember looking at my dad and he was like, ‘You did it!’ ” Maci said. “It was a pretty cool feeling. I was really excited.”

Maci recently came up with a new goal for after this season: becoming an All-American by her junior season. She has printed out a list of times to give her an idea of what she would need to swim.

The determination continues to amaze her parents. If she has taught them anything over the years, it’s when she sets a goal, she doesn’t stop until she achieves it.

“It doesn’t even matter how state turns out or if she becomes an All-American because we are so proud of her and the hard work she’s put in and what she has already accomplished,” Paul McCullough said. “As a father, I’m just so extremely proud of her.”

This story was originally published May 11, 2017 at 2:33 PM with the headline "West’s Maci McCullough set to swim against foes she once idolized."