After four years on the Mingus Union High School varsity swim team, Fletch Fangman has taken the next stroke in his swimming career.
Flanked by many of his classmates, Fangman officially signed with Midland University on Friday, Feb. 1.
“Freshman year I never would have imagined that I would swim somewhere collegiately,” Fangman said. “Once we won state my junior year, I realized I wanted to do something with swimming past my high school career.”
As his senior year came around, Fangman knew what he had to accomplish to keep swimming.
“After we returned to state senior year I knew I did not want to give up swimming anytime soon,” Fangman said. “No matter how bad of a day I am having, I can just get into the pool and shift my thoughts elsewhere.”
Fangman learned about the Midwestern university through his family’s close proximity to it.
“We found out about Midland because my dad has family in Nebraska that lives about 30 minutes away from campus,” Fangman said. “I found out they were building a new swim complex so we went to check it out when
we visited.”
While there, Fangman had an opportunity to meet the swim team.
“Midland let me practice with the team and everyone was so friendly, so I knew swimming here would be great,”
Fangman said. “I look forward to the team’s family environment as well as having my relatives nearby.”
Fangman’s proudest high school accomplishment was winning state in the 4-by-50 freestyle relay.
“I wish we could have accomplished it twice but winning state in that category
felt great,” Fangman said.
This season, Fangman was named one of the Marauders’ captains and did not let his coaches down.
“I love my coaches because they would do anything for me and vice versa,” Fangman said. “I look up to them and am grateful to have had them help me get to where I am.”
Fangman qualified for state all four years of his high school career.
“My first impression was that Fletch was funny, pretty shy and a very hard-working swimmer,” Mingus coach Gretchen Wesbrock said. “He was also just a super nice kid who was very respectableand coachable and they were certainly lasting impressions.”
“I think it is awesome for a community like ours as well because we do not have a year-round
swimming program,” Wesbrock said. “I think it is a big deal as Fletch has been swimming summers with the Clippers and with Mingus and performed well enough to get noticed.”
Fangman is the first swimmer to sign collegiately under coach Wesbrock’s tutelage.
“I am so happy for Fletch and his family and it is a great moment for Mingus swimming for sure,” Wesbrock said. “A lot of our freshman swimmers want to replicate his training ethic to see results like Fletch’s.”
Wesbrock said she believes Fangman’s signing will inspire the younger swimmers to swim collegiately.
“I think it inspires the younger kids, especially in our Clipper program, because they look up to the older kids,” Wesbrock said. “Fletch is a great example for young kids as they get to see a pathway toward continuing their education.”
Though Fangman was a phenom in the pool, the senior swimmer was equally as impressive in the classroom.
“Fletch is an example of a kid who was a rockstar academically and in the pool, which is why Midland was so interested,”
Wesbrock said. “In swimming, there is money at the collegiate level so I believe it will really inspire our younger swimmers as well as our high school swimmers.”
Despite being a swimmer, Fangman said his favorite athlete is Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker.
“He is one of my favorite players because not only is he really talented but he is also a nice guy,” Fangman said.
Fangman said he would like to major in a business-related field but is currently undecided.
“I spoke to the criminal justice professor when I toured Midland and his class sounded very interesting,”
Fangman said. “I will probably switch my major around a few times before deciding on one.”
