With competition shut down for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, board members of the Maui Age Group Swimming Association knew it was time to get to work.

It wasn’t easy, but through their efforts, Valley Isle’s keiki were back in the pool this summer and competing once again.

“It was not a quick process, but they stayed patient and positive and always had the kids’ best interests in mind when making decisions,” said board member and Hawaii Swim Club head coach Reid Yamamoto.

In a letter nominating Yamamoto for The Maui News’ People Who Made a Difference: Sports Edition, HSC coach and board member Tony Colletta and wife Anne had said that Yamamoto’s “experience, dedication and presence has always made a difference for the Hawaiian Swimming world and the kids at his club, but he really went above and beyond during the lockdown last year.”

But Yamamoto told The Maui News that the whole MAGSA board deserves all the recognition for their positive impacts on the community, including their “hustle, patience and hard work” in bringing swimming competition back this summer after 16 months of no long- or short-course meets due to COVID-19.

After several months of work with the Maui County Parks and Recreation Department on COVID-19 protocols, the association got six meets approved for this past June and July.

Lahaina Swim Club coach Bob DeZotell, also the treasurer and equipment committee lead for MAGSA, said via phone on Tuesday that “it was a team effort” to get the summer season going, noting that board president Bob Pellettieri “worked his tail off” to solidify some youth races.

And it was evident at the MAGSA opener — held June 5 at the Kihei Aquatic Center — that the swim community was excited to connect again.

“To see the kids all excited, that was the biggest thing,” DeZotell recalled. “To see the kids act like it was Christmas morning, you know, they hadn’t been in the pool or had a race or anything like that. I have to tell you, I almost had a tear in my eye when the first race went off. … That’s why we do this stuff.”

Responsible for hundreds of swimmers around the island, the board was happy to be able to just “give the kids something,” Pellettieri said.

“Maui is a tight community and for the last year or so, it’s been very difficult and anything that makes life more normal is pretty amazing,” said DeZotell, who added that it’s been “a pleasure to be a part of the board” for the past five years.

MAGSA oversees about 500 athletes from five swim clubs — Maui Dolphins, Hawaii Swim Club, Maui Swim Club, Island Aquatics and Lahaina Swim Club — and its board comprises about a dozen coaches, parents and officials who put in “hours and hours” of free time.

“It’s truly the spirit of collaboration,” said Pellettieri, a Hawaii Swim Club coach and father of three.

MAGSA organizes all meets on Maui through USA Swimming. Swimmers can join for reasons ranging from learning how to swim, different techniques and swim strokes, physical conditioning and water safety.

Many of the coaches and parents involved volunteer at meets as timers and officiators, allowing them to be involved with their children.

“When the kids compete, of course you’re cheering for your own kids and clubs, that’s competition, but you realize that there’s higher-level things going on– at the end of the day, these coaches are trying to develop these kids to be better human beings and to work hard,” Pellettieri said. “We have a very solid board of people from diverse backgrounds from five different clubs. We work together for a single purpose and that’s to develop swimming on Maui.”

The reward for all their efforts is watching the youth succeed and to “see these kids grow up and go on to do big things,” he added.

Pellettieri noted how Yamamoto, who is also the coach at Maui High School, has impacted the lives of many swimmers over the decades and even led multiple swimmers to the college level.

As a head official through USA Swimming, Maui Dolphins coach Sandy Drake is a key member of the board and “brings expertise” when training other officials, Pellettieri added.

Other MAGSA executive officers include vice president Leighton Hao of Island Aquatics Swim Club and secretary Cecelia Romero of Maui Swim Club. Board members Kiki Matsumoto, head coach of Maui Swim Club; Scott Pinter, Aja Eyre and Carolann Barrett of Maui Dolphins; Cathy and Shawn Donohue of Island Aquatics; and Maui County representative Sirena LaCour are also instrumental to MAGSA.

MAGSA members help to officiate meets year-round for the club and high school leagues as well as state competitions off-island if needed.

And if you’ve been to any swim meet on Maui, you will see David Wintermeyer behind the timing table.

“My first job was copying and stapling meet documents,” Wintermeyer said on Thursday afternoon. “I came to enjoy the other people involved with MAGSA swimming and view everyone as family and look forward to meets, even though it’s hard work.”

Wintermeyer eventually moved to office helper to lane timer to becoming a certified official for timing over the past decade, saying that “I’ve looked forward to every new job and opportunity to learn and become more involved.”

One of the main reasons Wintermeyer stayed involved was for his daughter Alicia, who swam in MAGSA meets from age 11 with Lahaina Swim Club until her final year at Lahainaluna.

“Swimming has played a huge role in making her the person she has become,” he said. “So many aspects that helped her, including dedication, discipline, physical fitness, hard work, a healthy mindset, and being part of a team.”

* Dakota Grossman is at dgrossman@mauinews.com