Coach believes All-District girls swimmer of the year will win a state championship

She pierces and pushes through the water with purpose and speed, like a torpedo pointed at the record books.

Consider this Malia Fernandez’s first assault.

The Central Catholic High freshman became the first female swimmer in Stanislaus District history to advance to the CIF State Swim and Dive Championships at the Clovis Olympic Swim Complex.

Fernandez was seeded 30th in the 50-yard freestyle and improved by five slots – and one-hundredth of a second – punctuating a debut season drenched in history.

She became the first swimmer in school history to qualify for a Sac-Joaquin Section final, reaching the championship heat in the 100 freestyle, and the first Raider to advance to State.

At a school draped in football, baseball and basketball banners, Fernandez’s feats this spring stand alone.

“My biggest goal was to get to State,” said Fernandez, who flourished under the tutelage of Central Catholic coach John Hoskins. She swept both freestyle sprint events at the Valley Oak League Championship and won the 50 at the rain-shortened Zador Invitational at Ripon High.

“It’s crazy to think I swam with the fastest in California and I’m only a freshman. It was a really cool experience and I’m hoping to go again.”

Hoskins believes she’ll do more than just qualify.

Fernandez is a rare talent, he insists, an evaluation supported by more than four decades of coaching. Hoskins has coached an Olympic gold medalist (Misty Hyman) and currently serves as the USA Fin Swimming national coach.

Fernandez shaved more than second off her best 50 freestyle. She began the season with a personal-best time of 25.13, clocked a state-qualifying 24.13 in the consolation final at sections, and then closed with a 24.02 in the fast waters at Clovis. She also reached the “A” final at sections in the 100 freestyle, finishing fifth with a 53.29. Only the top-three finishers and those with an at-large time advanced to State.

“The whole goal is get her that experience,” Hoskins said in an interview with The Bee leading into State. “I think it will be great for her. I want her to have fun, but I will tell you this: I think she’ll win State at one point. It’s just the way she’s driven and she has four years.”

Fernandez, who has been swimming for the last 10 years, embraces the challenge – and accepts the torch.

She and former Pitman diver Natasha Sodeno, now on scholarship at San Jose State, are the only females in Stanislaus District history to advance to the CIF State meet. Sodeno advanced as a junior and senior in 2015 and ’16.

Now, the questions becomes: Can she fulfill Hoskins’ prophecy?

“It’s a lot of pressure, but I feel like over the next three years I can get there,” she said. “I really want to go somewhere with my swimming. I’ve been training for 10 years.”

It shows in her cerebral approach to events defined by their physical demands. Fernandez often slows down each sprint, carefully picking apart each segment, searching for fractions of a second.

“My mindset, you have to go all out and give it all you have,” said Fernandez, who swims with California Gold, a club team that draws talent from Tracy, Stockton and Oakdale. “You have to focus and everything has to be right. One wrong move and you’re going to add time.

“I do like to strategize my events before I swim. The night before, I’ll think about my races: ‘What can I do to drop time?’ Once I’m behind the block, I focus and leave it all in the pool. ‘This is what I train for. There’s no time for mistakes.’ It’s a rush and race against the clock.”

This story was originally published June 14, 2017 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Coach believes All-District girls swimmer of the year will win a state championship."