Lindsey Marchand

Peninsula High School senior a nationally accomplished swimmer who has sights set on Olympics

Lindsey Marchand started playing sports when she was 5, and through the years, she’s participated in everything from T-ball and soccer, to track and gymnastics, as well as ballet. She said her parents got her involved with sports to keep her busy.

When Marchand joined the swimming team in high school, she said she was “terrible” at first.

Since then, Marchand not only has improved, she’s become Peninsula High School’s record-holder, and she’s set several state and national records on her way to earning a full athletic scholarship at UCLA.

At Peninsula, she spends about 20 hours a week just in practice, and she works on a dry-land regiment that includes weight lifting.

But that intense training isn’t new to Marchand. She already practiced 3 1/2 hours for six days a week, with a shorter schedule on Sundays. She also works with a personal trainer and does spin-cycling. Marchand has been training both with the high school and with a swim club — she only takes two weeks off in August and one week at Christmas.

“If I don’t go to practice, it seems odd,” she said. “It takes a lot of dedication and hard work.”

Marchand has worked with some of the best U.S. swim coaches at camps for about six years. She said they told her parents she has talent and should keep up with swimming — and Marchand was motivated to push hard.

She hopes to make the U.S. Olympic team for the 2012 London Games. But even before that, she has another goal — the world championship games in Rome that will take place this summer.

Marchand previously finished 21st out of 150 athletes during Olympic trials. She said she was disappointed, but she knows she can achieve her dream.

“You have to really learn to control your nerves,” she said. “I think that was the hardest part for me at the Olympic trials.”

Despite her athletic schedule, Marchand has kept up with her school work and maintained a 3.86 grade-point average. She said she tries to get ahead on the weekends in order to be successful.

She’s considering technical engineering, economics or mathematics as a major in college.

“Lindsey is a hard-working, focused individual who demonstrates success in every aspect of her life,” said Peter Pratz, a PHS math teacher. “She is never satisfied with ‘good enough,’ and strives for her own personal best in all of her endeavors.”

Lindsey Marchand

Education: Senior, Peninsula High School

GPA: 3.86

Parents: Cindy and Michael Marchand

Activities/achievements: Varsity swimming, state champion in 100-meter butterfly (twice) and 100 breast, holds individual school record and two state records, state Swimmer of the Year; full athletic scholarship to UCLA; junior national champion and record holder; No. 1 recruit for Class of 2009.

Favorite teacher: Peter Pratz, “because I felt like I learned a lot but didn’t have to do busy work,” Marchand said.

Best thing about high school: The people. “For the most part, everyone is pretty accepting,” she said.