(NMSA) — The Northern Marianas Sports Association joins the sports community in the NMI and the entire Pacific in mourning the passing of NMI Sports Hall of Famer Jeannie Sakovich.
Jeannie was a pillar in NMI swimming, as she co-founded the Saipan Swim Club with her husband, Bill, in the 1970s. Together, they discovered, developed, and trained swimmers that later on represented the NMI to different regional and international competitions and brought honors to the islands.
In 2004, when SSC celebrated its 30th anniversary, the club’s co-founders were credited for SSC’s combined medal haul of 70 gold, 55 silver and 50 bronze medals from the Micronesian Games and South Pacific Games (now Pacific Games). No other sports program than swimming has brought home more medals and championships to the NMI. Under Jeannie and Bill’s dedication and commitment to developing NMI swimmers, several of the islands’ student-athletes also gained opportunities to pursue higher education through athletics scholarships.
“The Northern Marianas Sports Association wishes to express its deepest condolences to the family of Jeannie Sakovich, a well-respected coach in our region. For more than three decades, Jeannie and her husband, Bill, dedicated their time and efforts to one of the most successful programs in NMI sports. Even after they left Saipan in early 2000s, they still provided guidance to our swimmers and coaches, especially when they were competing off-island and representing the NMI,” the NMSA board said in a statement.
For their part, the board of directors of the NMI Swimming Federation issued the following statement:
“The NMI swimming community is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jean Sakovich. Jean was instrumental in advancing aquatics here in the NMI starting in the 1970’s. She and her husband Bill were trail blazers. They started and sustained swimming programs that provided a pathway for many local athletes to not just learn to swim, but compete and perform at the highest levels at home, regionally and internationally. She will always be remembered for her tireless devotion to NMI swimming and her passion for helping children reach their potential.
“The NMI swimming community extends our heartfelt condolences to the Sakovich family during this time of loss. RIP Jean!”
