Marshalltown provides ‘electric atmosphere’ for Iowa high school girls’ state swimming and diving meet

Crowds at swim meets can get loud.

There is loud, then there is the experience known as a state meet at the Linda Bloom Natatorium, a part of the Marshalltown's YMCA-YWCA facility.

The facility holds around 1,700 spectators and they are right along the pool deck on three sides. When the state meet is in progress, the sound reaches an entirely different level.

“The thing that has always impressed me is the level of enthusiasm the facility generates,” said Linn-Mar girls’ swimming co-coach Tom Belin. “It gets so loud that swimmers can hear the cheering support while they’re in the water. There aren’t many swim competitions where that happens.”

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union state swimming and diving championships return to the facility for a 21st straight year this weekend. Swimming preliminaries and the diving competition will be held Friday with the swimming finals set for noon on Saturday.

Waukee is the defending champion, but that program has now been split, with both Waukee and Waukee Northwest now having programs. Cedar Falls, Ames and West Des Moines Dowling are the top three teams in the power rankings and are expected to contend for the team title. Iowa City West is the top Gazette-area team in the rankings, going in at No. 6.

Iowa City High Coach Mandi Kowal has been bringing teams to Marshalltown for four seasons and has one of the state’s best this season in senior sprinter Grace Hoeper. Kowal said the feeling during a state meet is “crazy.”

“The bowl-like atmosphere creates an electric atmosphere,” Kowal said, adding the hospitality shown to all the swimmers and coaches by those at the Y and in the Marshalltown community has been outstanding.“

“We have had a great working relationship with the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union through the years and it’s been a great partnership,” said Kim Jass-Ramirez, Chief Executive Officer of the Marshalltown Y. “We are dedicated to providing the best possible experience for the athletes, coaches and fans.”

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Every November since 2004, the best girls’ high school swimmers in the state have come to Marshalltown in search of state championships. Coaches and spectators rave about the hospitality provided by the Marshalltown staff.

“We work year-round to make sure our facility and equipment are ready for this event,” Jass-Ramirez said. “During the 1-2 weeks prior to the event we have all hands on deck with our YMCA-YWCA staff, swim coaches and parents. We also engage dozens of dedicated volunteers and community partners to pull off this event every year.”

The current contract with the IGHSAU and the Y ends this year. No decisions will be made about the future of the meet until early next year. The Marshalltown Y has shown its commitment to the meet by making a number of improvements that will be evident to the swimmers, coaches and spectators this weekend.

“We were able to install new steps in the bleachers, repair many of the bleachers and upgrade our projection system and scorer’s table area,” Jass-Ramirez said. “This was a result of the support of the local business community and local donors.

“These were needed improvements for our facility, which still is an impressive sight for many first-time visitors, two decades after our original opening.”

Cedar Rapids Jefferson Coach Jessica Hinke participated in the first state meet held at the facility in 2004 when she was a J-Hawk swimmer.

“When the IGHSAU state meet first moved to the Marshalltown YMCA in 2004, I was excited,” she said. “It was my sophomore year of high school and I had been swimming for the MACR (Marion-Cedar Rapids YMCA) Sharks, so I already had at least one state meet in that pool. It was great to be in a familiar pool and know what to expect.”

Cedar Falls Coach Chelsea Szczyrbak also sees Marshalltown as a special place.

“I was able to compete there for four years as an athlete for Iowa City West, cheered for my friends on the boys’ team when boys state was held there (from 2004-2017), watched for two years as the graduate assistant swim coach at (Northern Iowa), and have now been able to coach my team there for the past five years,” she said. “As an athlete participating in the parade of teams or being walked in for a final event, it is like nothing I had ever experienced.

“The floor to ceiling seating gives it the illusion of a basketball court and really makes the athlete feel as if they are the center of attention.”

For Jass-Ramirez, her staff and the Marshalltown community, there is a sense of pride in hosting the meet each year.

“We are proud to welcome people from across the state to help them learn more about our welcoming community and our awesome Y facility,” she said. “From the Y’s standpoint, this event is a great fit for our focus areas of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.”