Morning practices alter the landscape for Mott swim and dive

WARREN — If you asked senior Aggie Broadwell where her teammates’ heads were at before the season, she’d would’ve told you they were already underwater.

“We definitely got an early start this year,” Broadwell said. “People were already putting the work in at our summer practices with conditioning. There was a lot of effort put in there. We were ready to be in the pool before the pool was even open.”

What the four-year varsity swimmer and her teammates didn’t anticipate was a change in their ordinary routine.

Returning a senior core of Broadwell, Emily Kim, Megan Melnyk (four-year varsity swimmer), and Abigail Hinman (four-year varsity swimmer) boded well for a potentially successful year for the Marauders, and a 91-41 win over St. Clair Shores Lake Shore to open the season showed its potential.

But if Mott was going to be a threat in the Macomb Area Conference Silver, which it last won in 2017, head coach Katie Braschayko would have to turn to a different tactic.

It started with morning practices, a first-ever introduction for a Marauders team that was now asked to be up and in the pool by 5:30 a.m. on Monday and Wednesdays.

“It was like a bunch of zombies walking into the pool,” Broadwell said. “You’d never seen people so tired, but not one of them complained. I was very impressed.”

It was a testament to their dedication to not only the team but to themselves in efforts to elevate their skill set, and the first true measuring stick to the morning practices’ impact came when the Marauders faced the reigning MAC Silver champions, Warren Cousino, Sept. 19.

As Melnyk and Kim led the way with four first-place finishes each, Mott swam away with a 102-62 win over Cousino.

A week after that, Mott handled Sterling Heights 104-55 courtesy of impressive performances from Broadwell, Kim, Melnyk, junior Irena Abboud, sophomore Katrin Khamo, and sophomore Briana Turner.

“We haven’t won against (Warren) Cousino in a while, and we’re always close with Sterling (Heights),” Braschayko said. “One year we win and one year they win, so it’s always back to back. Cousino was one of those like, ‘We got to beat Cousino.’”

One by one, swimmers for Mott were checking off the goal sheet Braschayko kept on the pool deck before Mott put a final stamp on its league-winning season with a win over Center Line Oct. 17, holding an unbeaten league record (4-0) and sending the entire team into a frenzy of excitement.

“It was as if someone put a wire in the pool with how fast those girls were swimming,” Broadwell said. “They were ready and they were determined. It was like an electric shock was sent through the entire team. When we got our score back, I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud and so excited in my four years I’ve been here.”

It’s tough to find a senior group more deserving than Mott’s, for injuries and outside factors held back the senior group from reaching its full potential at times.

Regardless, Broadwell, Hinman, Kim, and Melnyk — the only Mott swimmer to qualify for counties — battled through it all and ended their high school careers on a high note, setting the tone for future classes to follow.

“We had senior night against Lamphere, and I told them on the blocks, ‘You guys are like the foundation to this team right now with the way you hold everybody up together and keep the house stable,’” Braschayko said.

With a standout year comes expectations, and it will be up to the underclassmen and junior group to continue the success the Marauders achieved this season.

Luckily for Braschayko, the underclassmen group flexed its muscles all year, showcasing what the future has in store for Mott swim and dive.

Khamo and Turner headline the returning group alongside freshman Addie Mench, sophomore Mackenzie Forrester, freshman Yana Mykhaylyak, and freshman Emmalyn Hinman, Abigail’s younger sister.

“They’re going to be somebody you don’t want to mess with their junior and senior years,” Braschayko said. “Addie had some background with swim lessons, but we stuck her in the water like, ‘Alright, we’re going to do breast, fly, and back,’” just to see what it looks like. Literally everything looks perfect, but it’s just about getting the strength, speed, and stamina for it. Same thing with Emmalyn, and she’s got that drive to be better than Abby (Abigail).”

Turner will surely keep the group loose and full of laughter, which she accomplished this year by lightening the mood with a certain kind of buttons.

“She took a photo of coach Elliot (Stansberry), my assistant coach, and I’s faces and made buttons out of them,” Braschayko said. “I was not expecting that. She gave it to the whole team and they all came into practice wearing buttons with our faces.”

With all the momentum and excitement on its side, the reigning league champions will look to successfully defend their title in 2025.

Mott will end its season at the MAC Silver division championships Nov. 8-9 at Sterling Heights High School.