This is the third in a series of 12 articles profiling the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2021.

ADAMS TWP - Major success in and out of the water.

That's how Heidi Brandon's time as swimming coach at Mars Area High School can best be summed up.

During her seven seasons of leading the program, the last coming in 2013-14, the Planets had four swimmers win both WPIAL and PIAA titles - Maggie Gruber, Chris Georgiadis, Jack Muehlheuser and Francis Folz.

She was also instrumental in reinstating a diving coach with the Planets and Maria Misenhelter mentored 2017 graduate Taylor Hockenberry to three district and two PIAA crowns.

Brandon knew that her team's performance outside of the pool would have even more of a positive impact and set up tutoring sessions.

“On days when we had meets, the kids would go straight to the cafeteria when school let out,” she said. “It was a time when they could do homework, study, do whatever they needed to do before swimming that night.

“If they needed help in a subject, they got it. We wanted to be a support system for them. Parents made meals ... we worked as a family.”

In 2012, Mars was the only WPIAL swimming and diving program awarded the Gold Scholar Team Award by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association. The honor required a team GPA of no less than 3.75.

“They weren't just great swimmers, they were smart kids!,” exclaimed Brandon. “They worked hard at it. Our GPA was over 3.8 and that's the thing I'm most proud of.”

Brandon will be one of 12 individuals inducted into the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame Sept. 17.

A native of Wisconsin, Brandon hit the water at an early age.

“Growing up there, you either played hockey or swam,” she said.

She was a star swimmer at Whitefish Bay High School, near Milwaukee, and began giving swim lessons when she was just 15.

Purdue University recruited her, but she decided to attend the school and focus strictly on her education, earning a degree in physics.

Brandon married her husband, Darryl, and the couple moved to Wexford in 1987. They relocated to the Mars Area School District in 1999.

When her daughter, Samantha, informed her that Mars swimming was without a coach following the 2006-07 season, Brandon interviewed and was approved for the job. Darryl would go on to assist her in the coaching duties.

“Swimming was so important to me, I wanted the kids to have that same opportunity. I didn't want to see the program die.”In 2012, the boys team placed second in the state with just five swimmers. It was the first time a team that small had placed that high at the state meet.

But the Planets achieved even more in 2014. First, they beat section rival and WPIAL power Shady Side Academy in a regular-season meet, which made Brandon believe bigger things were in store.

The Planets went on to win their section and the WPIAL Class 2A championship at Pitt's Trees Pool.

It may have seemed that would be the pinnacle for Mars. Surely, a team with just six total members and without its own pool could not win a state title.

But that's exactly what the Planets had in mind.

With only the 400-yard freestyle relay remaining at Bucknell University, Mars was atop the standings and needed only an eighth-place effort to secure the crown.

“I told the boys to just focus on safe starts and safe finishes,” Brandon said. “I didn't want us to (be disqualified), but they weren't going out that way.”

The foursome of Reed McDonough, Tommy Pierre, Georgiadis and Francis Folz won the event with a time of three minutes, 12.57 seconds.

Jimmy Pierre and Joseph Folz, who also contributed to the state championship, were on the deck with Brandon.

“When we hit the wall at the end, we almost fell in the pool,” said Brandon. “Those guys set out to do it and do it together.”

Mars boys swimming became the fourth program in school history to win a state team title, following girls cross country (1976), hockey (2010-11) and girls soccer (2011).

By the start of the following season, Brandon was no longer at the helm.

“It was very tough to step down,” she admitted.

Two years later, Gruber arrived on the varsity scene and began her incredible career, which yielded six WPIAL titles and six state titles.

“The thing that sticks out for me about Maggie is she never thought she was as good as she was,” said Brandon. “She didn't have an ego and just thought of herself as part of the team. She was such a nice kid.”

She has since remained involved in the sport by becoming an official. Between high school, college, YMCA and USA events, Brandon estimates that she officiates 100 meets per year.

“I still have my hand in it,” she said. “I just couldn't give it up.

“I'm proud of it,” she added of the Hall of Fame nod. “It's an incredible honor.”

Heidi and Darryl Brandon have two grown children - Samantha and Jake, who also swam for her at Mars.

This is the third in a series of 12 articles profiling the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2021.

By Derek Pyda

Eagle Staff Writer

ADAMS TWP - Major success in and out of the water.

That's how Heidi Brandon's time as swimming coach at Mars Area High School can best be summed up.

During her seven seasons of leading the program, the last coming in 2013-14, the Planets had four swimmers win both WPIAL and PIAA titles - Maggie Gruber, Chris Georgiadis, Jack Muehlheuser and Francis Folz.

She was also instrumental in reinstating a diving coach with the Planets and Maria Misenhelter mentored 2017 graduate Taylor Hockenberry to three district and two PIAA crowns.

Brandon knew that her team's performance outside of the pool would have even more of a positive impact and set up tutoring sessions.

“On days when we had meets, the kids would go straight to the cafeteria when school let out,” she said. “It was a time when they could do homework, study, do whatever they needed to do before swimming that night.

“If they needed help in a subject, they got it. We wanted to be a support system for them. Parents made meals ... we worked as a family.”

In 2012, Mars was the only WPIAL swimming and diving program awarded the Gold Scholar Team Award by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association. The honor required a team GPA of no less than 3.75.

“They weren't just great swimmers, they were smart kids!,” exclaimed Brandon. “They worked hard at it. Our GPA was over 3.8 and that's the thing I'm most proud of.”

Brandon will be one of 12 individuals inducted into the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame Sept. 17.

A native of Wisconsin, Brandon hit the water at an early age.

“Growing up there, you either played hockey or swam,” she said.

She was a star swimmer at Whitefish Bay High School, near Milwaukee, and began giving swim lessons when she was just 15.

Purdue University recruited her, but she decided to attend the school and focus strictly on her education, earning a degree in physics.

Brandon married her husband, Darryl, and the couple moved to Wexford in 1987. They relocated to the Mars Area School District in 1999.

When her daughter, Samantha, informed her that Mars swimming was without a coach following the 2006-07 season, Brandon interviewed and was approved for the job. Darryl would go on to assist her in the coaching duties.

“Swimming was so important to me, I wanted the kids to have that same opportunity. I didn't want to see the program die.”

Two years later, Gruber arrived on the varsity scene and began her incredible career, which yielded six WPIAL titles and six state titles.

“The thing that sticks out for me about Maggie is she never thought she was as good as she was,” said Brandon. “She didn't have an ego and just thought of herself as part of the team. She was such a nice kid.”

In 2012, the boys team placed second in the state with just five swimmers. It was the first time a team that small had placed that high at the state meet.

But the Planets achieved even more in 2014. First, they beat section rival and WPIAL power Shady Side Academy in a regular-season meet, which made Brandon believe bigger things were in store.

The Planets went on to win their section and the WPIAL Class 2A championship at Pitt's Trees Pool.

It may have seemed that would be the pinnacle for Mars. Surely, a team with just six total members and without its own pool could not win a state title.

But that's exactly what the Planets had in mind.

With only the 400-yard freestyle relay remaining at Bucknell University, Mars was atop the standings and needed only an eighth-place effort to secure the crown.

“I told the boys to just focus on safe starts and safe finishes,” Brandon said. “I didn't want us to (be disqualified), but they weren't going out that way.”

The foursome of Reed McDonough, Tommy Pierre, Georgiadis and Francis Folz won the event with a time of three minutes, 12.57 seconds.

Jimmy Pierre and Joseph Folz, who also contributed to the state championship, were on the deck with Brandon.

“When we hit the wall at the end, we almost fell in the pool,” said Brandon. “Those guys set out to do it and do it together.”

Mars boys swimming became the fourth program in school history to win a state team title, following girls cross country (1976), hockey (2010-11) and girls soccer (2011).

By the start of the following season, Brandon was no longer at the helm.

“It was very tough to step down,” she admitted.

She has since remained involved in the sport by becoming an official. Between high school, college, YMCA and USA events, Brandon estimates that she officiates 100 meets per year.

“I still have my hand in it,” she said. “I just couldn't give it up.

“I'm proud of it,” she added of the Hall of Fame nod. “It's an incredible honor.”

Heidi and Darryl Brandon have two grown children - Samantha and Jake, who also swam for her at Mars.