Voices from Our Community
From Pendleton pool decks to the Paris Olympics, West Point, and beyond — the people whose lives were shaped by aquatics in our community.
Robby Collins
PHS '99 · From the BMCC pool deck to the Paris Olympics
Growing up as a swimmer in Pendleton shaped who I am in ways few experiences ever could. While Pendleton may not be widely known today as an “aquatics” city, it was once home to thriving, year-round competitive programs that meant so much to so many families in the region. Early morning practices at the BMCC pool and long summers at the Pendleton Aquatic Center taught me discipline, resilience, and the quiet power of people showing up for one another—day after day.
The relationships built with teammates, coaches, and families remain some of the strongest in my life. The pool was more than a place to train; it was my community. Those formative experiences lit a path that carried me from a small-town pool deck to coaching at the University of Tennessee and, ultimately, standing on deck at the Paris Olympics.
— Robby Collins, PHS ’99
Tatum Paullus
PHS '22 · From Pendleton lessons to West Point
Growing up, no pool was too far away, too small, or too busy to keep me from pursuing a sport I love. I have spent almost my entire life in the water, beginning with my mom teaching me to hold my breath as a toddler.
I started my time with Pendleton Swim Association swim lessons around kindergarten through a scholarship during my dad’s deployment to Iraq. I then began competing at about 8 years old until my last swim meet 10 years later in high school. I cried upon the conclusion of the last event fearing the end of my swimming career as I went on to join the Army through West Point Military Academy — but just like in Pendleton, the pool is filled with cadets who have found the pool to challenge them, comfort them, or to teach them.
I still remember the meetings when I was in middle school, attesting to the board at BMCC of the benefits the pool has provided me. I remember learning of their decision for closure and the fear of losing my sport. Pendleton Swim Association, Pendleton High School Swim Team, and Pendleton Aquatics Center were once a home to me. Still, I see my impact on my community as I watch through social media the once three year-olds I taught to swim, compete at State. I also see the effect the community had on my development as a swimmer and a leader. The years of volunteering, teaching lessons, and advocating for my sport taught me patience, resilience, and respect for those around me.
— Tatum Paullus, PHS ’22
Tammy Tangney Fisher
PHS ’02 · A lifeline, a launchpad, and a legacy
An indoor aquatic center in Pendleton would be more than a building. It would be a lifeline, a launchpad, and a legacy. Growing up swimming in Pendleton changed the entire course of my life. As a child, I was painfully shy and struggled with crippling anxiety. The pool became the one place where I felt steady, capable, and safe.
Through year-round participation with the Pendleton Swim Association from age 10 to 18, I developed confidence, discipline, and resilience. I learned how to set goals and pursue them relentlessly. For the past 20 years, I have dedicated my life to impacting young people, pouring back into this region the same confidence and opportunity that swimming gave me.
In 2023, I returned to competitive swimming as a U.S. Masters Swimming athlete. The Masters community is extraordinary, with athletes competing well beyond age 100 and united by health, discipline, and joy. I have traveled across the country, competing in open-water and pool national competitions, and one truth stands above the rest. The power of swimming to unite people across generations is unmatched.
A training-and-competition-ready indoor pool in Pendleton would change lives, just as it changed mine. It would keep families closer to home. It would strengthen regional partnerships. It would create opportunities for youth, adults, seniors, and adaptive athletes. It would foster health, belonging, leadership, and lifelong fitness.
A pool does not simply create swimmers. It creates possibilities, and the ripple effect can last for generations.
— Tammy Tangney Fisher, PHS ’02
Andrew Laffin
Swim Parent · A family tradition, generation to generation
Swimming continues to be one of the most enjoyable activities that our family takes part in. As a former competitive swimmer and water polo athlete, as well as a former lifeguard and swim instructor, I know firsthand the importance of swim lessons in a community.
We have watched our oldest daughter Quinn start with the mommy and me classes and progress to becoming an active member of the Pendleton Swim Association team. Her love and enjoyment of her time in the water started locally with the support of all the wonderful employees at our local pool. She has become so confident, as have we as her parents, in her safety and understanding of the importance of skills used when she is swimming.
We have also watched our youngest daughter Stella begin her own journey through the natural progression in swim lesson skill levels, and she talks all year long about how excited she is to get back in the pool. I strongly feel that our casual and competitive swimmers in the community are at a disadvantage without a year long pool, and families strongly crave recreational possibilities that are not seasonal.
— Andrew Laffie
Share Your Story
Did swimming in Pendleton shape your life too? We’d love to hear from you. Your story helps us show what a year-round indoor pool would mean for the next generation.