Weima Bagnall, Becky (2023)

Becky Weima Bagnall is a 2003 graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School who was on the Eagles swim and soccer teams.  She was awarded six varsity letters while earning an impressive 3.9 GPA.

Becky began swimming competitively for the first time as a freshman at GRCH, just to give it a try.  At the time she didn’t even know how to do a flip turn.  Little did she know she would end up loving the sport and excelling in it. In her senior year, Becky was an All-State Top 8 finisher in all individual events and finished second in the state in the 200 Free and 100 Free.  She was named to the All-Conference and Academic All-Conference Teams all four of her high school years, and to the All-State Team in 2002.  In addition, she was voted the Team MVP by her peers in both her junior and senior years.  

Becky fondly remembers the fun associated with swimming at GRCH including team cheers, beach days, candy bags, and the tradition of passing down the infamous Gwen DeMaat swimsuit year after year.  Her coach, Tera Wiechertjes, remembers Becky as a fierce competitor who not only worked extremely hard but also brought much joy to others.  In addition to being an outstanding athlete, she was positive, encouraging, and fun to be around.

Becky played soccer all four years at GRCH and was a defender on the varsity soccer team for two years.  She was All-Conference in both her junior and senior years.  Her teammates respected her hard work and leadership and selected her co-captain her senior year.  The Eagles won the City League Championship both years.

Becky was recruited by several Division I programs but chose to swim at Calvin College.  She majored in Spanish Education and graduated in 2007.  Becky is still considered one of the most accomplished swimmers to have attended Calvin.  While a Knight, she set five individual records (four still stand) and was a member of five relay teams to set school records, four of which still stand today.  Individually she won five NCAA titles and was an All-American 21 times.  She was the MIAA champion in every individual event all four years. Her junior year she swept the 50, 100 and 200 Freestyle events while setting the national record in the 200 Freestyle.  She was also the driving force behind Calvin’s three top-10 team finishes during her sophomore, junior and senior years.  Her senior year the Calvin women finished 4th in the nation.

Becky’s coach, Dan Gelderloos, recalls how she used her gifts for the glory of God and the betterment of the team.  “Given her talent, Becky could have separated herself from the pack. Instead, she carried her teammates along with her.”  She was a highly regarded collegiate athlete and teammate.

After college, Becky coached swimming at Holland Christian and led the Maroons to a top-5 finish in the State Meet.  She also coached the girl’s swim team at GRCH for two years, and assisted her husband, Luke, with the swim team at Jenison High School.  After teaching middle school Spanish at GRCMS for eight years, Becky began working for Young Life.  She is currently the Director of Young Lives, which is Young Life’s ministry for teen parents.  

Becky met her husband, Luke Bagnall while both were on the swim teams at Calvin.  They have three children: Leo, Reeva, and Hendrix.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39