Jessica Vlasic isn’t especially interested in talking about herself.

The Squalicum High School junior swimmer is quick to praise her teammates and the Storm coaching staff, but asking her to reflect on her own formidable abilities and accomplishments? Not her favorite thing to do.

Vlasic may be a bit hesitant when it comes to athletes and their occasional propensity for self-promotion. But she’s easily among the most talented, and that makes her The Bellingham Herald’s Girls’ Swimming Athlete of the Year.

Vlasic earned second-place medals in the 200-yard freestyle and 500 freestyle at the Class 3A state swimming meet last month in Federal Way. That capped a stellar season during which Vlasic had Whatcom County’s best times in each event, and she saved the best for last, improving upon her state-meet performance from 2006, when she finished third in the 200 and fifth in the 500.

Vlasic accounted for all of Squalicum’s 34 points, and the team finished in a tie for 18th place.

Vlasic is quick to point out that her favorite sport is far from a one-man show.

“My teammates are like a support group, and there’s no way I could do it without them,” Vlasic said. “The season wouldn’t be the high school season without them. They’re awesome to have, and

even though I was the only swimmer to make the finals, they were in the hotel cheering me on, giving me advice, and just being there for me.

“We’re all tight,” said Vlasic, who singled out Amber Molder and Madi Tuller as teammates with whom she is particularly close.

“Jessica is very humble,” Squalicum coach Steve Gibb said. “She always looks to give her teammates credit.”

Vlasic said the 200 freestyle is her favorite event, and she competed in the 200 individual medley, 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke during the season.

“My favorite event would probably be the 200 free,” Vlasic said. “It’s not too long, it’s not too short — it’s like a controlled sprint.”

Vlasic said that in anticipation for the 2008 season, she and several teammates are planning to train yearround with the Bellingham Bay Swim Team.

Upon first glance, the future for the Storm swim team looks bright, as the school will compete next year at the Class 2A level, and as such won’t have to swim at the state meet against Kennedy, Mercer Island or Bainbridge. But the local competition is as good as it gets, as evidenced by Sehome’s Class 2A state championship this year.

Vlasic said she doesn’t necessarily buy into the theory that changing to 2A means the Storm are going to dominate.

“I don’t really agree with the whole moving down to 2A thing,” Vlasic said. “In swimming it doesn’t matter — it’s all a times thing. I mean, the team that won in 2A — their medley relay — they would have gotten ninth in 3A.”

Vlasic kept improving in the face of the state’s best competition; in Federal Way, she tied her personal record (1 minute, 54.62 seconds) and state time from the year before in the 200 freestyle and set a new personal record with a 5:05.64 in the 500 freestyle.

Gibb said after the state meet that some of Vlasic’s many strengths are her intelligence, her willingness to pace herself, and her lead-by-example work ethic.

“Jessica just keeps getting better,” Gibb said. “She’s the inspiration of the team.”

Casey Gainor contributed to this story. Craig Parrish can be reached at craig.parrish@bellinghamherald.com or 715-2279.