Siblings learn life lessons from swim competitions

Tuesday, August 12, 2003

Kyle and Katie Kearby are helping to take their swim teams a stroke ahead. The brother-sister duo swim for the Jasper County Killer Whales, a Webb City team that participates in a year-round league, and they've both placed high again and again in their respective teams. Kyle, 17, and Katie, 9, don't swim against one another -- the age difference is too great. But both have acheived a sort of claim to fame in the swimming world. Kyle recently achieved his goal of making the national cut, and is competing in a national competition in the Houston, Texas, area this week, and he's hoping for a cut into the Olympic trials. Katie has a rare talent, achieving a competition spot in swimming the Butterfly stroke in a 200 meter race -- an event much more common for older swimmers. Shawn Klosteman coaches the two young swimmers, and said that there are many swimmers on the team who show talent, and both Kyle and Katie are no exception. Katie, he said, has the unique ability to imitate the physical movements of just about anyone -- so much so, he said, that he can tell who she's imitating. Already she's achieved a couple of team records. Clearly proud of herself, though, Katie just smiles and nods when questioned about her success -- saying it's fun, that she just likes to swim. In an article written by Michael Johanson, of New York, NY., a family friend and swimming expert himself, Katie's attitude is described by one of her coaches like this: "Confident doesn't really apply. Arrogant? Definitely not. I once had a teacher tell me that speaking in front of people makes me nervous and scared because I was told I was supposed to be nervous and scared. Katie just really has not caught on to the idea that this swimming thing is not all fun. It is all perspective. She jumps in head first and does things the way a natural athlete is supposed to -- without the obstacles of doubt, fear of failure and the fear of how she looks to others. It is hard to say at 8 years old how much of a future a kid has in swimming, but I can see one for Kaitie. If it is truly 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical like Mark Spitz says, then she has a huge advantage on everyone out there." But it takes more than just talent and attitude to make a strong, competitive swimmer, he said, as Kyle and Katie nodded their heads in agreement. Kyle's been swimming -- seriously, anyway -- since he was 14. It takes time. It takes effort. There's the swimming, of course, and other training. The team even tried yoga recently. "That was fun. We reallly enjoyed it," Kyle said. Klosteman said he'd heard of others using yoga to help train breathing, control and concentration. So, he found a yoga instructor willing to teach the class for free on a trial basis, and it went over well. Beyond that, excelling at swimming takes time. It takes dedication. The two Kearbys have both. They drive an hour each way, several times a week, to Webb City to practice. "It's very time consuming. If you're someone who wants to play every sport, then it's probably not for you," Klosteman said. Physically speaking, flexibility and a "feel for the water," are needed as well he added. The Kearbys also have another, less obvious advantage -- the support of their family. The Kearby family's made up of parents Julie and Alan, plus seven children, and there are times when the swimming demands dedication from more than just Kyle and Katie. Someone has to take them to the meets, and there are the travel expenses, of course. But two of the elder Kearbys, Angie and Becca, took their swimming seriously as well and help to provide a foundation for the younger siblings. Angie's helped coach, and describes herself as the head chauffer for the swimming activities. It all started, though, as something to do. But Kyle and Katie enjoyed swimming in a summer league so much they sought out a year-round league. Kyle enjoyed the swimming, and enjoys the competition as well. Katie agrees, enjoying the success as well as the swimming itself. And they've gotten more than accolades of friends and family out of the experience -- they've made friends along the way, some of whom may turn out to be lifelong friends. Klosteman, who is originally from Alaska, said he still runs into people he once swam with at airports and the like. The Kearby's have also learned valuable life lessons as well. Klosteman said that, as in any sport, coaches try to focus on character development as well as the competitive and physical aspects of the sport. In essence, he said, in order to become a really great swimmer, the participants have to learn how to fail, learn and try again. "You have to learn to shake off the bad days. Even the best swimmers have a bad day sometimes. It's part of it," he said. Those who aspire to be competitive swimmers also have to be willing to start at the bottom, and take as much time as is needed to develop skill. Kyle, for instance, was 14 when he joined the Killer Whales, but initially swam with the 10-year-old group to develop his skill. "In swimming, you're never always number one," Klosteman noted. Both Katie and Kyle plan to continue swimming. For now, it's for fun, but it looks like swimming could figure into Kyles future on another level as well. "He's getting some attention from college coaches," Klosteman said.

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