2024 Fall Preps Preview: East Valley swimmer Brigid Dinnen embraces ‘mind over matter’ in the pool

As she stepped up to the block her sophomore year at East Valley High School, Brigid Dinnen began to quiver. The blurred pool below her seemed daunting and her mind filled with “what ifs” as fast as her steady breathing turned to hyperventilating. The only thing that seemed to help was grounding herself, both literally and figuratively. Dinnen knew this was more than just nerves.

“It’s kind of like ‘I’m not really in control of anything’ and I hate that,” she said.

Dinnen has been swimming ever since “Mommy and Me” classes as a child. This led her to sign up for lessons and eventually join the recreational team at the YMCA. From there, she became a member of Spokane Area Swimming, which soon became Vandal Aquatic Club. She has been competing with this club since she was 8 years old.

She tried other sports, like basketball and soccer, but swimming won out when it came time to commit to a single activity during her middle school years.

“I think we all knew that I was just a swimmer,” Dinnen said.

In elementary school, Dinnen heard about the swim team at East Valley – which consisted of only one person. When she began high school, she single-handedly became their new team. Considering there is no pool and no other members at East Valley, Dinnen drives to Eastern Washington University to join Cheney High School’s practice every day of the season, which runs from the end of August through the middle of November.

If there is traffic or a wreck on the freeway, it can become an hour-plus commute.

Not only does she commit to high school practice and meets during the fall, but she also continues to swim for her club team year-round. This means there are days when she goes to club practice at 5:15 a.m., then attends school and goes to high school practice immediately after the final bell rings. She does, however, give herself two months off throughout the year to recharge.

She has learned to prioritize her family, friends and academics to strike a balance between swimming and the rest of her life.

“Your life does not have to revolve around your sport,” Dinnen said.

Following an impressive win at State her first year on the team, Dinnen felt an overwhelming lull in her life. The high of intense competition and reward ceased with the end of the high school season and she decided to take some time off to rediscover her love for the sport. Rather than forcing her to continue simply going through the motions at practice, her club coaches were unceasingly supportive of her dilemma, and she soon returned with a new outlook.

“We are incredibly proud of her commitment to investing in her self-growth,” Vandal Aquatic Club coach Jody Broyles said.

During her hiatus, Dinnen learned several new methods for coping with her anxiety and panic attacks. She created a preparation routine to give her a sense of control, which includes taking deep breaths, listening to Disney music, tuning out any distractions and visualizing a successful and enjoyable performance. She also fights off hypothetical thoughts about the distant future and false notions that she will let everyone down if she does not succeed.

“The only time I allow myself to think about it is behind the blocks,” Dinnen said.

Upon returning her sophomore year, Dinnen placed second at State. Though her perfectionist mindset was not initially satisfied with this result, she has since learned to be proud of her performance and recognized that second place is still an incredible accomplishment. However, her humility still prevents her from sharing the news with others.

When people ask how her season was, she responds with a simple, “pretty good.” Her friends are the ones that chime in with the fact that she placed at state and won the previous year.

Dinnen has come a long way since experiencing her first panic attack on her high school swim team. Her parents, coaches, teammates and the rest of her community of supporters have made a huge difference. When her anxiety surprises her, she turns to these people and her own skills to get through it.

“Swimming is mindset,” Dinnen said. “Sure, some of it is physical; you need to be strong, but then again, you need to be mentally strong.”

Looking toward the future, Dinnen is seeking a college that not only allows her to continue swimming at a competitive level but also affords her the opportunity to continue her education and, more specifically, obtain a degree in nursing. She has always been interested in science and the human body, so much so that she asked for a stethoscope for her third birthday.

“There is a time where swimming stops,” Dinnen said. “I need to have an education and do what I want to do in life.”

Swimming at a glance

Clarkston: The program won a couple of state awards last season and has nine letterwinners returning, including Graycie Graham who was the state champion in the 50-yard freestyle adaptive swim.

Cheney: The Blackhawks, district champions last fall, have four returning starters, featuring seniors Lauren Howe (sprint freestyle) and Joyalise O’Dell (mid-distance).

Lewis and Clark: Sophomore Ava Swigart was the state champ in 200- and 500-yard freestyle last season. The LC team is up to 13 participants from the four last year who placed fifth at districts.

Pullman: The Greyhounds have had a great recent run at state, finishing first, fourth and second the past three seasons. Leading this year’s edition is two-time state placer senior Bree Myers (100-yard backstroke) and sophomore Hazel Edge (100-yard breaststroke).