In the late afternoon of Nov. 12, 2022, Hailey Ferrell was preparing for a race just like she had on any other day of her eight-year swimming career.
The only difference: The 14-year-old Blaine High School swimmer was competing for a state championship — as a freshman.
Ferrell had completed her preliminary races the day prior, entering the third day of the 1A/2A state swim and dive championships at the King County Aquatic Center as the No. 2 seed in the 50-yard freestyle and No. 6 in the 500-yard freestyle. In the latter event, she would be the only freshman finalist out of 16 competitors.
“I was really, really nervous for [that] race,” Ferrell said. “I was just trying to finish the race and get home as fast as possible.”
The starting signal sounded at 2:31 p.m. Ferrell and the other swimmers plunged into the water from their blocks, beginning what would be a nearly six-minute swim that would include 10 laps of the pool.
“The adrenaline was really pumping,” Ferrell recalled.
She pulled away early. Noticing her lead, she never slowed her pace.
Just over five minutes and 25 seconds later, she was a state champion — the first in program history for Blaine. Ferrell shaved 10.26 seconds off her preliminary time, beating Enumclaw senior Kate Perlot by more than two seconds.
Ferrell also finished third in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 24.90 seconds.
“I was very excited to say the least,” Ferrell said. “I was pretty much jumping for joy when I found out that I was the only state champion at Blaine for swim.”
Ferrell, 15, is now a sophomore and looking to build on her historic first high school season. She spends nearly 3.5 hours per day in the pool through her practices with Blaine and her club team, the Bellingham Bay Swim Team. Blaine swims in a co-op with Squalicum due to Blaine being a Class 1A school with low turnout numbers.
While Ferrell has plans to swim collegiately and eventually reach her main goal of the Olympics, her current target is simple: win four or more state championships before high school graduation.
But it’s not all about the competition for Ferrell. Swim has been her main social outlet for most of her life, and co-oping with Squalicum — and Ferndale last season — has brought her friendships she never imagined she would have.
Blaine’s Hailey Ferrell swims in the 200-yard freestyle Sept. 22, 2022, during a meet. Ferrell won the first state title in Blaine High School girls swim history in the 500-yard freestyle a year ago. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
“It’s definitely a new experience because you kind of feel separated in a way because you’re [on] a completely different team [than your high school],” Ferrell said. “But all the girls are super welcoming, along with the coaches, and it’s a really good experience.”
Through four meets this season, Ferrell leads all Whatcom County girls swimmers in the 100-yard freestyle (56.98 seconds), and is second in the 200-yard freestyle (2:05.26) and 50-yard freestyle (25.75 seconds). She has already qualified for state in the 100- and 50-yard freestyle races.
She has not been racing in the 500-yard freestyle, which won Ferrell her state title, as she focuses on shorter distance events — race variants Ferrell said she prefers.
“I usually race shorter distances,” Ferrell added. “But [last year] I just wanted to try something new and see how it went. It ended up playing in my favor.”
Lessons began at age 6
Ferrell began swimming lessons at age 6. She said she immediately fell in love with being in the water, and her interest in the sport progressed after watching a local swim competition.
She asked her mother, Christine Ferrell, to sign her up, and a week later she was a member of the Pacific Sea Wolves Swim Club in Surrey, British Columbia.
“I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” Ferrell said. “I knew I wanted to do it competitively. I’ve always loved racing. I’ve always been a super competitive person.”
As many high school swimmers do — including Ferrell — maintaining competition with their club teams is important. State championships are a huge accomplishment, but club programs will put athletes on the map nationally.
“Swimming is all about just getting all the practice and time you need and technique work like I’m getting,” Ferrell said. “The more practice you get, the faster you go.”
Although she’s a few years away from graduating, Ferrell has been reaching out to colleges and has already been “getting lots of emails,” she said.
Wrestling helps her swimming
Blaine’s Hailey Ferrell takes down Meridian’s Sukpreet Kaur in the final seconds to win the match Jan. 10 at Squalicum High School. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)
Growing up, Ferrell participated in track and field, cross country, softball, gymnastics and ballet — trying her hand, or feet, in a variety of different sports and activities.
None topped swimming, but she realized one could help her improve in the pool: wrestling.
It began “as a joke,” Ferrell said, when one of her teachers (who was also the wrestling coach), told her she would be a wrestler and signed her up. Now, she’s been wrestling for two years.
“I enjoyed it, and then I also wanted it to help build muscle,” Ferrell said. “I ended up really liking it.”
Ferrell reached the girls 1B/2B/1A/2A regional tournament last season, finishing fifth overall in the 115-pound weight class — just outside the state qualifying cut. She was 16-11 overall on the season.
“My goal was to get to state, but I got pretty close,” Ferrell said. “This year my goal is just to go to state.”
