For both Marian’s Michael and Lydia Strucko, sometimes their swimming performances — usually gold-medal ones — weren’t always enough.

Swimming has been a staple that has driven and shaped their character.

“What drives me in swimming is the constant push to improve,” said Lydia. “I enjoy setting goals and working toward them every day, and I like the challenge of competing against both myself and others. Swimming has also helped me build discipline and resilience, which keeps me going.”

Her brother sees a similar picture.

“There is a drive for us to push to keep improving and competing at a high level,” said Michael. “The most surprising part was how quickly things started to click, especially mid-season when everything came together. From there, my confidence and performances both improved a lot.”

In the postseason, the Struckos brought home 12 medals — eight combined gold at the Schuylkill League and District 11 meets — and were also named the District 11 Swimmers of the Meet.

For their efforts, the Struckos were named the Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Swimmers of the Year.

At the state meet, Michael hit a personal best in his second-place finish in the 200 butterfly (1:40.56), while Lydia was second in the 100 butterfly (56.01), an event she swam at states for the first time.

Lydia felt her season was on a fast track filled with plenty of maneuvers. It was a destination reached that once appeared to be a longshot.

“Looking back, it really does feel like a whirlwind,” said Lydia. “There were a lot of big moments and challenges, but overall it was an incredibly meaningful season. When I was younger, I hoped to reach this level, but I don’t think I fully understood what it would take to get here.”

Michael, a senior, also saw a season that exceeded expectations.

“This year was definitely a whirlwind, and while I hoped for a season like this, I didn’t fully expect it” said Michael. “I accomplished most of my goals, and am really proud of how everything turned out.”

Like the grind of any sport, both of them came to their crossroads. Those developed into another motivating method.

“I’ve definitely had moments where I considered quitting, especially during tougher times,” said Lydia, a junior. “But those experiences helped me grow and reinforced why I love the sport.”

“When I was younger, I actually thought about quitting,” added Michael. “I especially thought about it during tough moments, but I stuck with it and I’m glad I did.”

Tim O’Connor, their private swim coach, saw a strong sense of dedication and commitment from the Struckos, who truly trusted their course.

“Michael and Lydia are really great kids,” said O’Connor. “They arrive at the pool with smiles, and say thank you when leaving. They keep their swimming practices focused on swimming, and would rarely let outside influences impact their focus. They are goal-oriented, and willing to work hard for their goals.

“They love to be involved with the process and ask great questions because they are making the process the most worthwhile possible. They each challenge their teammates in their lane during practice, and they make each other better.”

O’Connor wasn’t surprised by their banner campaigns this year.

“They both had tremendous seasons,” he said. “In the short window of time I specifically coached them, they really had improved in speed and working underwater kicking. They are both tremendously diverse. If they wanted to focus on longer events or IM, I know that the way they train, mentally and physically, that within six weeks, they’d be confident in their performance.”

Michael will continue his swimming career and education at the College of New Jersey next fall and pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. Lydia will have another season to leave her mark at the high school level.

Overall, Michael accumulated eight league gold, seven district gold, and four state medals among his collection that included being part of a relay team.

He set a new league, pool, and meet record of 50.81 in the 100 backstroke at the Schuylkill League meet in Pottsville, and won the backstroke for the third consecutive time at districts.

Lydia will begin her final season having won six league golds, five district golds, and three state medals.

She is confident another chapter can be added to her storybook career.

“I’m proud of what I accomplished this year, and in some ways I exceeded my expectations,” said Lydia. “At the same time, it showed me there’s still more I want to achieve, which motivates me moving forward. The most surprising part was how much progress came from staying consistent and trusting the process, even when things weren’t going perfectly.

“There was a point in the season where everything started to click. I felt more confident in my training, and that carried over into my races. I was able to trust my preparation and perform more consistently.”

For both Struckos, preparation and consistency toward their success has come with never being totally satisfied.