The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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Donahue is a hero to her children
Donahue will leave a legacy for the Milan swimming program
By Sue G. Collins, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: May 10, 2007
This Mother's Day, the Donahue family will have to forgo its traditional Sunday morning brunch honoring mom Sally and grandmother Eleanor.
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Instead of gathering in Milan, they will caravan to East Lansing, where the youngest Donahue sibling, Maura, will be honored for her winning essay at a youth leadership conference for high school students.
The subject of her essay was her hero, her first swim coach: Her mother.
"My hero is my mom because she is always there for me and never pushes me to do anything," Maura, a sophomore at Milan High School, begins in her essay. "This helped me because instead of being forced to do something and end up hating it like some kids, I can do what I want to and love doing it. Also, it has taught me to be responsible and be a better person."
Sally is a single parent who works two jobs raising four children while helping in their endeavors in and out of the pool.
Sally has been a longtime supporter of the Milan swimming program, ever since her oldest, Katie, began competing many years ago. Sally not only cheered on her swimmers, Katie, Jimmy, Meghan and Maura, but also coached at the high school and continues to run the timing system during boys' and girls' meets.
"She is a very special person and we are very lucky to have her affiliated with the club," said Milan High School swim coach Dan Heikka. "The kids appreciate her, too. She's an advocate for them."
Sally left her coaching job three years ago for full-time employment and medical benefits.
At that time, she was instrumental in bringing Heikka into the program.
"She is the whole reason I'm coaching in Milan, and I owe so much to her," he said.
Sally leaves a legacy for the swimmers and the program. She believes that coaching is much more than training and competing.
"It's about helping the kids become well-rounded, successful in and out of the pool.
"Some of the best moments for me have been not when my swimmers won, but when they touch at the end of a race, look at their time and smile, knowing they have reached their goal," she said.
Clearly, Sally cherishes her time with the swimmers and with her own children.
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