As Julie Barashkoff watched her star swimmer Bethany Harper cruise through her workout in the Redmond Pool on Tuesday, the coach burst out laughing when thinking about whether the Redmond High sophomore go-to girl would be a good diver.

“Well, probably. We haven’t tried it, but I’m sure she would do it if we asked her to. She’s just that kind of person,” Barashkoff said with a smile.

Harper has qualified for this weekend’s 4A state meet in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard freestyle, but also swam the 500-yard freestyle and myriad other events this season. Wherever the Mustangs needed her to step in so the team had enough competitors in each event, Harper was there in an instant.

“She can swim anything. She’s great. She’s a very hard worker,” said Barashkoff, adding that Harper’s easy-going attitude is a plus when she was asked to fill in the gaps.

Harper will first swim in the state prelims beginning at 9:45 a.m. on Friday at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. The finals begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday. She’s seeded 10th in each event after finishing fourth in the 100 back (1 minute, .17 of a second) and sixth in the 200 free (1 minute, 58.7 seconds) at districts.

She may be the only Redmond High swimmer at state, but Barashkoff said there will be a Mustang crew on hand for prelims.

“The girls really, really like her. There’s about 15 girls that are going to head down to Federal Way on Friday just to support her, which makes me very proud of the whole team because they value her as a swimmer,” Barashkoff said.

Last year, Harper, now 15, finished 15th in the state 100 back. She’s gunning for a better showing this time out, she said.

“I’m really excited. I’m hoping to do well and possibly get top eight in the 100 back,” Harper said while sitting poolside. “It feels the best. I feel strongest in that race. Obviously, I can go fastest at it and it’s my favorite race.”

Harper said she has excelled in the 200 free ever since she was a kid and she keeps improving in the race, which requires a ton of endurance.

4A Kingco and state swimmers are familiar with the Harper name. Heather, Bethany’s older sister, was a two-time state champion in the 100 breaststroke and finished second one year. The 2011 Redmond High graduate now swims for Boise State University and has impacted Bethany’s swimming course from being Heather’s fan in the stands to emerging as a state qualifier herself.

“She’s definitely a great role model for me. She really has shown me that hard work can get you very far in life, and if you try your best in all that you do, it pays off,” Bethany said as a handful of girls in the pool razzed her about doing an interview. “It’s fun to go back (to state) and try and do what she did. She’s definitely excited and very proud.”

There are five Harper siblings — Heather, Bethany, Ryan (a Redmond High junior) and eighth-graders Katelyn and Kristen — and Barashkoff feels there’s a solid family work ethic going on within the household. Bethany said that her mom swam in a summer league and got her children interested in the sport.

Barashkoff said Bethany — who also swims at the Pro Sports Club in Bellevue — is strong and focused during competitions.

“Usually I can tell how well she’s going to do by just the look on her face, behind the block. She’s very determined to get up and do it,” Barashkoff said.

Bethany — who enjoys her history and math classes at Redmond High — swims between 12 and 18 hours a week and notes that while it’s tiring, it’s worth it to garner success and have fun with her teammates.

Lots of swimming and hanging out with friends and family — that’s about all she has time for, Bethany said with a laugh. And she likes it just fine that way.