Marvelous multi-sport Marilyn making mark

Rick Devereux

People marveled at Babe Didrikson’s athleticism in the 1930s, ‘40s

and ‘50s when the multi-sport star dominated every athletic feat she

tried.

People marveled at Marilyn Reich when the recent Estancia High

graduate and multi-sport star dominated every sport she tried.

Reich, the Estancia Female Athlete of the Year, tried her hand at

track, cross country, water polo and swimming for the Eagles.

“I knew when I started that Marilyn was a natural athlete and that

she had a very strong work ethic,” aquatics coach Bob Bandaruk said.

“She was always putting in time to be the best.”

Her high school career began as a runner, something she was

already accomplished at as an eighth-grade track star at TeWinkle

Middle School. Reich joined the cross country team and held her own

against the juniors and seniors on the team, but a knee injury put

her on the disabled list and she was unable to return to the lineup.

She was well by the time track season rolled around in the spring

and competed in the 3,200-meter relay and the 1,600 relay despite

being a sprinter on the TeWinkle track team. Reich also routinely

placed in the top spots in the 800.

Following another fall on the cross country team, Reich opted to

try out for girls water polo team as a sophomore.

“I remember her first time in the pool,” Bandaruk said. “She would

outswim everyone to the ball, but she didn’t know what to do with it

once she got it. But I knew that she was going to be good because she

was outhustling the seniors and juniors on the team. That’s why she

was on varsity as a sophomore, because of her work ethic.”

Reich wanted to run track and join the swim team in the spring,

but shin problems forced her to stay in the pool.

Reich was a natural swimmer, winning races from the get-go. She

excelled in the 100-yard breaststroke, but also contributed to

winning 400 freestyle relay teams and was strong in 200 individual

medley.

Her cross country and track background aided her in the

breaststroke, and her competitive fire helped her in the IM.

“Her running helped her in the breaststroke because it gave her

strong legs,” Bandaruk said. “She had incredibly strong legs, which

you need in the breaststroke. And she committed herself to make

herself better at the butterfly and backstroke so she could enter the

IM events.”

The combination of running (she finished first in her age group in

5K Spirit Run as a sophomore) and swimming made it a logical choice

for Reich to try her hand at a triathlon.

Like every other activity Reich has attempted, she excelled in the

triathlon, finishing first in her age group in the Pacific Coast

Triathlon before her junior year at Estancia. She beat her nearest

competitor by more than 5 minutes.

Reich’s hard work elevated her to team captain of the swim team

her junior and senior years. Last spring, the swim team finished the

dual meet season a perfect 12-0, and she finished second in the

Golden West League in the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke.

“I would drive home from practice and I would see her running the

hill by her house,” Bandaruk said. “She would go to the gym sometimes

after practice to work out again. She’s always been that exceptional

kid that would do whatever it takes to be the best.”

Reich will attend Orange Coast College and try out for crew.