Inductees

It all began with incremental goals. Win 10 meets in a season here, place in the top three at the conference, maybe qualify relays and individuals for the state meet and so forth.

In other words, the rise of one of the most storied high school girls swimming programs in the Show-Me State had humble beginnings, on a nondescript pool deck at Lafayette (Wildwood) High School.

Under Jean Chard, Jr.’s leadership and through the dedication of teenagers and their parents, a powerhouse emerged. And that’s why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted the Lafayette (Wildwood) High School Girls Swimming & Diving Program with the Class of 2021.

Lafayette has earned a state-record 27 top four state finishes. That includes 11 state championships, which are second-most all-time. The title years cover 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2017.

Chard coached nine of the state championship teams, and Todd Gabel has coached two.

Individual swim champions have been Allyson Angle, Holly Bickle, Heather Bickle, Becca Dawson, Amy Hennies, Jessi Holz, Kim Lambert, Franceska Petrosino, Michelle Plum, Caroline Rodriguez and Jamie Saxe. Elle Christie is its lone diving champion. They combined for 29 individual state championships.

In the relays, Lafayette has won 10 state titles in the 200 medley, 11 in the 200 freestyle and 10 in the 400 freestyle.

Swimmers on those relay teams were: Allyson Angle, Cate Behl, Holly Bickle, Emily Buss, Becca Dawson, Melissa Debellis, Lindsay DeStefano, Nicole Duffy, Samantha Gac, Adrienne Goodman, Ashleigh Grammer, Kristin Grott, Robyn Graul, Katie Haefner, Kendall Hansen, Shannon Hardie, Amy Hennies, Jessi Holz, Julie Kasl, Kelly Kiefer, Kim Lambert, Michelle Lippitt, Katherine Lucken, Shannon McCoy, Sarah Moore, Kelley Morrison, Katy Noeth, Katie Nolan, Franceeska Petrosino, Courtney Phillips, Molly Polette, Caroline Rodriguez, Marissa Rodriguez, Jamie Saxe, Kara Schafersman, Sarah Scott, Lauren Sutliff, Megan Sutliff, Delaney Thomas, Becca Tipton, Claire Vanbiljon, Katie Welsh and Samantha Wright.

To Chard, those who weren’t champions but scored points at the state meet represented what he always preached: everybody on the team was important.

“I think we made a difference in kids’ lives,” Chard said. “But they made a difference in my life.”

That’s the thing about the backstory of the Lafayette program. Woven into its fabric is that of a laser-focused coach and girls willing to put in the effort.

Chard arrived in 1980 as the third coach of a program that began four years earlier. Voters had approved an on-campus swimming pool in 1976.

Figuring it would be a long process, he set reachable goals. Finally, in 1986, the team made history three times, earning its first state team trophy (third-place) with Michele Plum Slaton becoming its first state champion, in the 50 freestyle. That came after they won the Suburban Conference for the first time.

“We were a public school,” Chard said. “We got what showed up on the pool deck.”

Parents drove their teens to 5:30 a.m. weekday practices and 8 a.m. on Saturday sessions – even on days of meets – and motivation drove the swimmers. They’d train during spring break. All in a 15-week season. And many were taking advanced placement classes, too.

Plus, the roster was built with both club swimmers as well as non-traditional swimmers, such as cheerleaders, dancers and girls from other sports. The goal was to help score state points.

Starting with the third-place finish in 1986, over the next six seasons, Lafayette placed third four times and was runner-up in 1989 and 1991, with the 1991 team only 17 points away from winning it all.

That 1991 team opened state by winning the 200-yard freestyle relay – a new event – which included two dancers. In 1992, three years after the new school was built, and the team won its first state title.

In 1998, Lafayette outscored Columbia Hickman 189-177. The 2001 team won by 14 points. In 2010, they edged Glendale 227-223. The 2017 team won by only four points over Rock Bridge.

The 2000, 2005 and 2006 teams were state runners-up. The 1994, 1995, 2008, 2009 teams placed third.

To Lafayette coaches and swimmers, their thanks goes to parents for the early car rides to practice, the school district for its overwhelming support and to other state-level opponents for sparking the program to stay competitive.

And it all started in the 80s.

“While we didn’t win the (team) state championships,” late 1980s swimmer Michele Plum Slaton said, “we were proud to see them dominate. Coach Chard deserved it, as did the girls.”