AURORA | When she attended Regis Jesuit High School — and was the darling of the American swim world — Missy Franklin gratefully swam in the school’s old bubble, which had its share of quirks.
The five-time gold medal winner — whose life has changed dramatically since she graduated in 2013 — returned Thursday to the campus of her alma mater, which officially named its sparkling year-old swimming facility in her honor.
Now a wife, mom and ambassador for the sport whose competitive days are behind her, Franklin Johnson has started a new chapter of her life. But her time at Regis Jesuit will always remain strong in her memory.
“Regis has always been such a safe place for me, where a lot of the world only knows me as Missy Franklin, but Regis knows me for me,” she told a packed gym. “They know me as the one who is walking in after a 6 a.m. practice with a wet bun on top of her head and no makeup on and just being who she is with her friends and not having to put on any kind of facade.
“So being able to come back to Regis after London when so much of my life had changed and so much was different to a place that hadn’t changed and still treated me the same way made it so safe.”
Regis Jesuit is in the midst of celebrating the 20th anniversary of the opening of its Girls Division and one of the most notable notable alums — and also in the 147-year history of the institution, male or female, president David Card noted in his opening address — is Franklin Johnson, who earned four gold medals in the Olympics in London between her junior and senior years and added another in her second Olympic appearance.
In prep competition, she set four individual (200 yard freestyle, 200 yard individual medley, 500 yard freestyle and her specialty — the 100 yard backstroke — Colorado state records that remain, while she was part of a 400 yard freestyle relay team along with Hillary Thomas, Alex Todd (nee Martinez) and McKenna DeBever that posted the state standard in 2011.
Her rise to prominence boosted the profile of the school at a crucial time according to alum John Sheridan, who was chairman of Regis Jesuit’s Board of Trustees at the time, and has helped an explosion of growth on the campus the school has occupied since it moved from Denver in 1990. Regis Jesuit opened its Girls Division in 2003 at an alternate site before it occupied the old boys building during the 2004-05 school year.
Athletic director Todd Schuler, who is in his second year at the school after he and his family moved to Colorado, heard of Regis Jesuit because of Franklin Johnson.
“My introduction to Regis Jesuit a dozen years ago came in North Carolina with the Olympics and watching Missy compete,” Schuler said. “I never expected to be here, but I’m grateful that I am.”
Franklin Johnson found that much had changed in terms of the campus, but many of the most important people that had been part of her formative years still remained.
Current Regis Jesuit head coach Nick Frasersmith said the memories of Franklin Johnson’s time at the school were still “crystal clear” in his mind and that many days on the pool deck include mention of her in some form. Her name also adorns the school recordboard in six of the eight individual swimming events and one relay.
“To think of the training we had in the old pool. The kids didn’t complain. Missy was a world recordholder and didn’t complain,” he said. “It’s definitely full circle and every time we walk into this pool, it will be the Missy Franklin pool and something to remember.
“This was a no-brainer to name it after her, for all she’s done and the recognition she’s brought to the school.”
Franklin Johnson posed for pictures, signed a few autographs and chatted with members of the school’s boys and girls swim teams, which crammed onto a large set of bleachers that provide way more spectator seating then the team ever had in the bubble during Franklin Johnson’s time.
“The team has been excited all week,” Frasersmith said. “I think they hear so much about Missy, then there is the reality of seeing her and how genuine she is in talking with them and making them feel special, too.”
Franklin Johnson also was able to in person present the annual award that already existed in her name to Regis Jesuit senior basketball star Hana Belibi, who is headed to Harvard University. An endowed scholarship will be given out to a Regis Jesuit female student annually as well.
Franklin Johnson posed for multiple photos in and outside the facility, before she headed inside for a Q&A session in front of the entire student body with topics that ranged from her memories of her time in school, the feeling of winning her first goal medal to her plans for the future.
Franklin-Johnson said she currently has her “dream job” as a mother to her daughter Caitlin (2 1/2), who was in attendance along with her husband, Hayes, while she also has various speaking engagements along with a podcast with another former Olympian, Katie Hoff.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sport@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
