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Lexi Anderson named a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American

By Staff | Dec 13, 2018

Lexi Anderson is the defending Hawaii High School Athletic Association state champion and record holder with a time of 54.8 in the 100-meter butterfly.

LAHAINA – It stands to reason that youngsters born and raised here on Maui take quite naturally to being in the water. The cooling ocean offers a refreshing playground for kids of all ages, and oftentimes the little ones – through the wisdom of concerned parents – are taught to swim just as they are learning to take their first steps on their own.

Indeed, Lexi Anderson and her older sister spent much of their early childhood with mom and dad – Marilyn Anderson and Bob Dezotell – playing in the inshore waters of Lahaina.

Diving, surfing and swimming became an integral part of their early development years, and in turn, led the family to Lahaina Aquatic Center and to the Lahaina Swim Club.

That was 11 years ago when Lexi Anderson was five years old. Under the tutelage of LSC coaches Tom Popdan, Kirsten Byers and Jen Wiseman, she has since blossomed into one of the top age group high school swimmers in the state.

Anderson’s specialty is the 100-meter butterfly, as she currently holds the Maui Age Group Swimming Association all-time record in the event, and she is the defending Hawaii High School Athletic Association state champion and record holder with a time of 54.8.

Most recently, and most significantly, the bright-eyed 16-year-old maintains a 3.8 grade point average and was recognized as a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American. Just last week, she traveled to Austin, Texas, to compete in the 2018 Winter Junior Nationals in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke events.

Anderson is gracious and humble in discussing her success and quickly recognized the support of her parents, coaches and the Lahaina community in her rise as a scholar-athlete.

“My parents have always been there to support me, and the coaching of Coach Tom and Coach Kirsten -whose specialty event is the 100 fly – have really served to guide me along, she said.”

Coach Popdan describes Lexi as a consistently driven athlete.

“She arrives at the pool with a daily purpose to improve her skills. She welcomes hard work and intense training challenges. As a competitor, Lexi uses her skills and ability to withstand pain to apply pressure to other swimmers to make them feel uncomfortable. She challenges them to respond or be defeated,” he said.