#DoingItForLisa: Swim team reaches out to coach diagnosed with cancer

When senior Amanda Heath received an email from head swim coach Doug Krecklow on Wednesday Jan. 13, her heart had sunk. Sympathy consumed her as she read the news that assistant swim coach Lisa Ellis had been diagnosed with Stage IV bone cancer. She has known Ellis since the sixth grade and like most of the swimmers, has developed a strong relationship with her coach.

“My relationship [with Lisa] has kind of grown,” Heath said. “It started out by me wanting to set a good impression on the coaches during my freshman year. But over the years I started working with her and that has formed a bond that’s really unbreakable.”

Not only Heath, but the team collectively has been devastated by their coach’s illness this season. As a way to honor and financially support their coach, the swim team will not only spend their senior night tonight commemorating the senior’s accomplishments, but they’ll also be selling wristbands, T-shirts and swim caps with all proceeds going directly to Ellis.

Jodie DeSordi, mother of sophomore swimmer Anna DeSordi, has put hours into organizing T-shirt orders, reaching out to alumni and has helped promote the team’s #DoingItForLisa campaign. Jodie believes this is just the beginning of the community’s fundraising efforts to help relieve some of Ellis’s financial burdens.

“We’re here to support her both financially and mentally,” Jodie said. “We hope that by everyone wearing the T-shirts she’ll be able to see there’s so many people standing behind and supporting her.”

While Ellis is unable to attend every practice and set up for meets like she used to, she has continued to do all she can to coach and support the swimmers this season. On the other hand, the team has continued to reach out to her by sending letters, providing financial support and making #DoingItForLisa and “Lisa Strong” posters that are hung throughout the pool. Ellis has been overwhelmed by the team’s generosity and support they’ve provided over the past month.

“It’s been overwhelming and humbling,” Ellis said. “They’ve been doing fundraising, the kids have been setting up for the meets and just trying to treat me normal. Their smiles mean everything to me.”

If you would like to purchase a T-shirt for $10 or a wristband for $2, the swim team will be selling them at their home meet tonight at 4:30 p.m. against Ralston.