Gracyn McQueary competes at the state meet.

Gracyn McQueary competes at the state meet.
By Chris Chaney
Sun staff

Persevering through a myriad of setbacks and obstacles, loneliness on the pool deck as a one-member team and early-morning wake up calls, Bethel-Tate’s Gracyn McQueary got an exceptional return on a season-long investment on Friday, Feb. 27 at the Division II Ohio High School State Swimming Championships.

As the sophomore climbed the podium to receive her fourth-place medal for the 100 breaststroke, her mother and father held back tears knowing not only what their daughter had accomplished, but what she had overcome.

“(In the winter of 2013) I got hurt and had to have serious shoulder surgery,” McQueary explained. “I completely tore my labrum; it separated from my bone, so I was out for my whole (freshman) season.”

The rehab from the labrum tear was methodical and cautious as Ed Bachman, McQueary’s club (Kingfish Aquatic Club) and de facto scholastic coach, made sure that she didn’t overdo anything that could cause ­.

“We started her back (in the pool) this past summer and moved her down into a lower group to start to rebuild her shoulder and her endurance,” Bachman said. “She came in really excited about this year, but then she had a couple bouts with sickness (around Halloween).

“(After that), she was working really well and training really hard and something with her shoulder cropped up again. That really scared her.”

McQueary said that she developed bursitis in her shoulder around the Christmas holiday. Bursitis is characterized as inflammation of the soft tissue around muscles and bones.

The injury sidelined her for about a month, only allowing her to get back into the pool to kick, protecting her shoulder.

By the time McQueary was able to begin practicing fully again, she was three weeks out from the sectional tournament and hesitant as to if she would be able to compete at the level at which she had become accustomed.

“She thought about packing it up and saying this season–s done,” Bachman said. “But I told her that we’re going to continue because I wanted her to experience high school swimming, which she had not really gotten to do.

“And then, boom, it was like a fairy tale. She goes to sectionals and swims her best time. Then, she goes to districts and swims another best time. And then she goes to state and gets fourth place. It was just phenomenal.”

A seemingly snake-bit season transformed into career-defining one in the matter of weeks.

The sole member of the Bethel-Tate swim team, McQueary’s setbacks came as part of an already difficult situation.

“It’s very lonely at high school swim meets,” McQueary said. “You look around and see all these girls who have their teammates and I’m just kind of there with my mom and whatever other family members decided to come. It’s just a very, very lonely world to be the only swimmer from your school.”

Bachman said that those facts speak even more to McQueary’s drive and dedication to her craft; that she has the internal motivation to continue to work hard with no one to really lean upon.

However, once McQueary got to the sectional meet at Mason High School on Feb. 15 and qualified in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, the lonely feeling she may have been feeling around her school and community disappeared.

“During most of the season, there wasn’t much (support) going on because I don’t think they really understood it and we were between athletic directors,” McQueary said. “But once sectionals, districts and state came up, I started to get a lot of good recognition from my school, which was really reassuring.”

“Once they found out that (Gracyn) had won sectionals (in 100 breaststroke), I started getting a lot of texts and emails asking about what’s going on,” McQueary’s mother, Jennifer, said. “When she qualified for state, I received a call from (Matt Koenig) the athletic director who was blown away and excited.

“From there, they just really began to über support her. They had a going away ceremony at the school, they attended the meet and had a presence there each night.”

Bachman said when he was ordering tickets on the McQueary’s behalf for the state meet, he was blown away by Bethel-Tate’s commitment and support for Gracyn. Melissa Kircher, the superintendent of Bethel-Tate Local Schools, traveled up to Canton for the preliminary heat on Thursday, Feb. 26 and the high school principal, Keith Hickman, was there for the finals on Friday.

With a groundswell of support following her quest, McQueary did not disappoint at CT Branin Natatorium, swimming a lifetime best on Thursday night: 1:05.28, qualifying her in the championship heat the following evening.

“When I got to Canton, I was ridiculously nervous; so nervous that I almost threw up before I raced and that has never happened before,” McQueary said. “Normally, I can pull myself out it and get into my zone and go do work.

“In the prelims on Thursday, all I wanted to do was make it into the top heat because if you make it in the top heat, you are guaranteed a spot on the podium and you get a medal and you get your picture taken.

“So, when I dove in for that swim, I tried to be so aggressive. I went out and did another lifetime best. I was very happy with that.”

McQueary’s fourth-place qualifying time guaranteed her a podium spot, a medal and a picture. The following night, she said, she was completely at ease. She had accomplished what she came to do and she just wanted to enjoy herself on the state’s biggest stage.

She put together another phenomenal swim, touching the wall at 1:06.48, good enough for fourth place in Division II.

A year of frustrations and roadblocks were alleviated when the medal was placed around her neck. McQueary had overcome everything put in her way and exceeded even her own expectations.

So, what does she plan to do for an encore in her junior season?

“My plan for next year is to stay healthy as much as possible,” McQueary began. “But I want to take gold next year. It is my plan to win next year.”

And really, after the season she had and the hurdles she cleared, who is to believe there is anything that can stop her from achieving that goal?