By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR

For the Independent

Aspen Monkhouse’s road to the state swim meet has been anything but typical.

There was that dazzling districts performance that surprised everyone — including herself. The fact that she was unsure if she could even swim a complete season. The medical issue that has impeded her training.

Oh, and the little detail that she didn’t learn to swim until she was 12.

Ask the South Kitsap junior what has gotten her this far and her answer is a single word.

“Willpower.”

Monkhouse enters today’s Class 4A state swim and dive championships at the King County Aquatic Center seeded eighth in the 50-yard freestyle with a qualifying time of 24.92 seconds.

At the West Central District III meet, Monkhouse pulled off the rare feat of clocking the third-fastest time in the 50 — in the consolation final. She did not get to take the podium, but her time qualified her to move on along with the top seven finishers.

“Last year, I barely missed going to state,” she said. “I guess if you want something bad enough, it happens. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Senior Zoe DeSmet knows just how Monkhouse feels. A year ago, she was South Kitsap’s sole state competitor.

“Getting to see Aspen make state, I got teary-eyed,” said DeSmet, one of the Wolves’ co-captains. “I’m so proud of her.

“All of her hard work has finally paid off.”

Monkhouse’s success is hardly a surprise to South coach Cliff Rousell.

“She’s great to coach,” he said. “When it’s time to work at practice, she will apply it 100 percent until something negative happens, and same with the racing.

“She’s one of those naturals in the water.”

As for that negative, throughout the season Monkhouse has battled a vocal-chord dysfunction that closes off her airway when she exercises. That resulted in bronchitis just a week before the Nov. 1 district meet. Because she was coughing up blood, she was unsure if she would be able to compete.

“She wasn’t able to get in a full workout at any point this season,” Rousell said. “So to have things turn out this way is really superb because she’s got the speed and power for the 50, but all that missed training opportunity affects her endurance.”

Throughout childhood, Monkhouse made the rounds: basketball, softball, soccer, tennis, running. But none were the right fit.

At age 12, she took swimming lessons — and was instantly hooked. Three months before her freshman year, she decided to try competitive swimming. Now she also swims for a team at the Bremerton YMCA.

Would she have ever guessed she could get this far?

“No,” she said with a laugh. “Actually, I wouldn’t.”

Monkhouse said she loves the “experience” of swimming.

“It’s so fun … and you can swim your whole life, so I picked a good sport,” she said. “It’s just the joy of my life. It makes me happier.”

Monkhouse said that she isn’t nervous about being the lone Wolf at state.

“Zoe did the same thing, and she did great,” she said.

And being able to follow in her friend’s footsteps “feels so great.”

“I didn’t know if I was going to be able to make it this year, and it was kind of heartbreaking since I was so close last year,” she said. “I’m happy I did it.

“I was over the moon.”