In many ways, the 2009 high school swimming season was much like
the previous four Pam Braseth had spent as head coach at Fort
Walton Beach.
Just as in years past, Fort Walton Beach experienced its share of
successes in the pool. There was a second straight county title for
both the boys and girls teams. Both teams then finished second at
the district meet before the Viking boys took home a second-place
finish at regionals while the girls placed sixth.
At state, there was even more to cheer about as the Viking boys
placed fourth as a team and senior Samantha Laughlin earned a pair
of top 10 finishes that included a fourth-place mark in the 100
backstroke.
But in so many other ways, this season was unlike any other for
Braseth, where after dealing with offseason surgery and the
eventual complications that arose from it, the longtime coach
wondered if she would be able to return.
“It’s been a rough year,” Braseth
said.
It was also a highly rewarding one, one in which Fort Walton Beach
saw its swimmers break numerous school and county records on their
march to the state meet in Orlando, where Braseth’s tutelage
helped the Vikings cap one of the program’s more decorated
seasons.
For her tireless work in helping shape another high-caliber season,
Braseth has been named the All Sports Association/Daily News
Swimming Coach of the Year.
“We have six new county records, back-to-back county trophies
on both sides, district trophies on both sides, regional trophies
on the guy’s side … They really pushed each
other,” Braseth said. “It wasn’t one guy bringing
the other guys along with them, it was a total team
effort.”
Braseth was quick to credit the selfless work of her two
assistants, Lindsey Daso and Susan VerSteeg, in helping her through
a difficult early stretch to the season following a May
operation.
“If it had not been for the support of coach Daso and coach
VerSteeg and some parents that chipped in in some key areas, we
wouldn’t have had the success that we had,” Braseth
said.
Laughlin called Braseth’s influence on her and the Vikings
this season “huge.”
Said Laughlin: “She was always there coaching
us.”
