Stanford alum and mom of three Brooke Boak to compete in Olympic trials

After hanging up her goggles in 2008, Stanford alumna and mother of three Brooke Bishop is back on the pool deck aiming for the Olympic trials later this year. At 37 and now known as Brooke Boak, she’s competing against swimmers almost half her age. But what started as an idea has morphed into a reality as she’s clocked in times mirroring those of her Stanford years when she was 20 years old.

It was a text that told him she was serious, said Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics coach Scott Shea. “What’s the plan?”

The idea of competing for the Olympic trials the following summer had been tossed around during one of their regular hikes in the Bay Area. Shea thought Boak could do it but wasn’t sure she was serious. For Boak, having a goal was all she needed to get back into the water and commit to training for herself. 

“It’s been really fun having a goal, I think that’s what I struggled with before, but once I committed myself to making trials, it’s been really fun,” Boak said. As a mom she had found herself with all the responsibilities of home and mom life, but felt she was lacking a drive for herself.

Fast forward to almost a year later and Boak was more than ready. In March, she traveled to Westmont, Illi., for the TYR Pro Swim Series. She qualified for the Olympic trials, making the cut with a time of 25.24 seconds in the 50 freestyle. In the coming weeks, she will vie to qualify in the 100 free and the 100 butterfly to add to her list of events for the trials in mid-June.

Raised in Los Altos, Boak grew up swimming with the Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics for Shea. She started swimming with Shea when she was 12 and continued through college. She graduated from Mountain View High School in 2004, where she never lost a race.

Boak went on to swim at Stanford, and was a 17-time all-American and two-year captain for the team. As a freshman in 2005, she won two Pac-10 relay titles and in 2006, she was the Pac-10 champion in the 50 free. In 2007, she represented the United States at the World University Games swimming the first leg of the 400 medley relay to place silver, and she was fourth in the 50 free and 100 backstroke.

After graduating in 2008, Boak returned to train with Shea for the 2008 Olympic trials. She placed sixth in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 fly with her best of 58.54 seconds, only three-tenths behind the second-place spot.

She finished 2008 on a high note with a strong appearance at the FINA/Arena Swimming World Cup games where she medaled gold in the 50 free, silver in the 100 fly and bronze in the 50 fly. At that point, she felt her swimming career could pause as she moved on to pursue work endeavors and building a family.

Now married and a mom to three girls ages 4, 7 and 8, Boak is managing a training schedule on top of a busy home life. Fortunately, Shea noted that Boak has always been good at time management, a strength needed when she’s scheduling workouts between drop-offs.

This time around, training requires more boundaries and juggling. Boak and Shea chat every Sunday about her workouts for the week, scheduling around her hectic schedule of drop-offs, school meetings, classroom parties and kids’ doctor appointments. Shea has found that Boak needed more rest back in August, initially starting out with three days in the water and two days of dry land and gym workouts. Now she’s up to five days in the water and five days of dry land training. She usually swims alone at Fremont or Foothills swim clubs, practicing with Shea in-person.

She’s still managing the busy life that comes with life’s unexpected moments. Earlier this year, her youngest daughter broke her leg on the ski slopes, which brought more planning around doctor appointments, cast placement and adjustment and removal, and making sure the young girl could maneuver herself around the house and school. On Wednesdays, Boak is working in the preschool classroom of her youngest daughter, taking a rest day.

Boak has a strong support network from family, including her husband Steve Boak of 11 years and parents who live nearby. Her journey also resonates with her group of mom friends that she’s built over the years. They feel especially passionate because moms often put their goals aside for the family. 

“What she’s doing is amazing,” said Shereeze Reddy, another mom of three kids, “It’s inspiring to watch her dedication.”

In addition to the hard work, Boak has made sure to have fun along the way, because that’s just as important to her, she said. She bonded with the younger teammates during the away meets. She brought jelly beans and reminded Shea to have some fun with an Easter egg hunt.

Boak will be at the Olympic trials in June, proof that age is just a number.

 “People can do more than they think. Anyone can decide to do something, but they must be diligent,” Shea said “Not being afraid of putting in the effort – that’s what’s inspiring about Brooke.”

Editor’s note: Jacqueline McMahon is a resident of Menlo Park and a 3-year friend of Brooke Boak. She is a contributing writer.