Parker Dunn is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Horizon Honors for AZPreps365.com

Growing up, Staci Smith, the Horizon Honors swim and dive coach, did not have the luxury of having her parents attend her high school swim meets like most kids do. Now as a mother herself, she has the chance to do what her parents did not and be at her daughter’s swim meets not as a spectator, but as her coach.

“My parents did not coach me, and they unfortunately couldn’t always make all my swim meets,” Smith said.

Smith has a deeply rooted career in swim that dates back to over 20 years ago when she taught swim lessons and synchronized swimming. She began coaching at Horizon Honors four years ago with the hopes that her two oldest children would consider joining the swim team.

After they ultimately decided not to join the team, she took a break from coaching until this season. “I stepped away from coaching the past four years with the hopes that this year my youngest daughter would join - and she did,” Smith said.

“Having my mom as my coach has been a blast. She has inspired me and encouraged me throughout the season and really pushed me to do my best,” Horizon Honors freshman Natalie Smith said.

Like her mother, Natalie has been swimming for quite some time now, competing in both speed and synchronized swimming. Although she has trained in the pool since she was younger, her freshman year at Horizon Honors was the first time she did real competitive speed swimming.

“I started speed swimming when I first learned how to swim, which was at age 5,” Natalie said. “I took a break and started gymnastics at 6 and quit at 7. Around 7 or 8 I started synchronized swimming and have been swimming that competitively for about six or seven years.”

The chance to not only be there for Natalie every day at practice and meets, but to also coach Natalie at Horizon Honors is like nothing Smith has ever been able to experience before since this is her first time coaching Natalie at any level. The closest thing to this was when she gave her some pointers when she was a little girl at the end of practice.

“I have never coached her before this year. She had never swam competitively in speed swimming before,” Smith said. “I am usually hearing her side of how practice went and her frustrations with the coaches.”

“She has given me corrections on my land skills and some synchronized swimming technique, but never in speed swimming,” Natalie said.

For Smith, it is a balancing act between being Natalie’s mother at home and being her coach at school. While this can be challenging at times, one thing that comes easy for her is supporting her daughter through everything that she does both in and outside of the pool.

“I usually take a step back and let my assistant coach give her corrections, but I am her biggest cheerleader on deck. I am all the swimmers’ cheerleaders though -- you may not see a difference between how I cheer for my own kid and any other swim team member,” Smith said.

“At home she is my mom and still encourages me to always push myself and do my best,” Natalie said. “At school she doesn’t give me any favors or special treatment. She gives me corrections on ways to improve and how to act or feel after certain things.”

Being able to coach her daughter is a privilege as it is, but it is especially a luxury for Smith considering the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it very difficult for parents to watch and support their kids. With limited spectators allowed at the meets because of restrictions and guidelines set in place, moments that are typically taken for granted become much more meaningful.

“Having the chance to coach my daughter, Natalie has been a great experience and one that I will cherish especially during a pandemic,” Smith said. “I was able to not only be on the pool deck during practices but also up close to see her swim at our meets. Since spectators were limited, I feel fortunate that I didn’t have to miss out.”

Natalie has cherished having her mother as her coach the same way that Smith has cherished coaching her. She looks forward to her future competing for Horizon Honors swim and dive team alongside her new teammates and most importantly, with her biggest supporter, her coach who just so happens to go by the name ‘mom.’

“I made so many amazing new friends and a new coach that has inspired me and helped me so much. I am so excited to keep doing this for three more years and meet more people and continuously have fun,” Natalie said.