ROCKINGHAM – Kelsey Murray, a senior on the Richmond Senior High School girls’ swimming team, has been named the Official Richmond County Female Athlete of the Week.
In her first year with the Richmond swimming program, Murray participates in several events. In the regular season finale last Wednesday at St. Andrews University, Murray was an integral part of the Lady Raiders’ win in the 200-yard relay, which was also her first time swimming in the event. This is Murray’s first career Official Richmond County Female Athlete of the Week selection.
Athletic Profile
Age: 18
Birthday: Nov. 27, 2000
Year: Senior
Winter Sport: Swimming
Events: 50-yard freestyle and 200-yard relay
Years on Varsity: 1 year
Height & Weight: 5-6, 123 pounds
Experience: 1 year
“DIVING INTO THE FACTS” WITH KELSEY MURRAY
RSHS Academics: Murray will begin her final semester at Richmond starting on Thursday as final exams are set to wrap up this week. She’s already completed two career clusters, first her Health Science cluster last spring, and second, her Culinary Arts cluster this fall. She explained she most “enjoyed” her Health Science classes because she wants to “enter the medical field.”
An A honor roll student, Murray will take three more classes before she graduates in June. In the upcoming semester, she’ll take American History II, English IV, Personal Finance and participate in RSHS’ “School-to-Work” program, which allows her to work during her fourth block.
Murray’s currently looking for a job to fulfill that requirement, and noted she is “looking forward” to American History II.
RSHS Sports: Swimming is the only sport that Murray is involved with, and she began this year.
“My cousins swim in Michigan and we race when I visit them,” Murray explained. “I’ve always had an interest in it. After I got cleared from a spleen injury, that’s when I decided to come out for swimming.
“I love swimming,” she continued. “I will definitely tryout wherever I go (to college). I’ve improved every meet and I’m getting faster. But I want my time to be 10 seconds faster, so I’m working on it.”
With the regular season now over and the Sandhills Athletic Conference championship slated for Saturday, Murray shared her perspective of the team’s progress this winter.
“The team has really improved,” she said. “A lot of us came into this not knowing a lot about swimming, but we figured it out as we went along. Nobody quit and we work hard.”
College Aspirations: With under six months to go before she receives her high school diploma, Murray is beginning to look at colleges. Her ideal school would be Campbell University, and she wants to major in chemistry and then go to pharmacy school.
“My cousin is a pharmacist and she went to Campbell and transferred to UNC, and I want to do the same thing,” Murray shared. “I want to be a pharmacist because it’s a cool job and my love for chemistry got me thinking about it.”
Kelsey Murray competing in the 50-yard freestyle in Wednesday’s season finale meet.
Athlete of the Week Stats: In Wednesday’s SAC season finale, Murray participated in two events, the 50-yard freestyle and the 200-yard relay. She had competed in the 50-yard freestyle in each of the previous three regular season meets, but her performance in the finale was her best one yet.
Going up and back in the pool, Murray clocked in at a personal best time of 35.78 seconds, which put her 19th overall in a field of 50 swimmers. That time was 1.31 seconds faster than her former best time, and it was a 2.45 second difference from her first meet of the season.
Murray also participated in the 200-yard relay, which four swimmers battle it out in four legs using the freestyle stroke. Murray, along with teammates Greyson Way, Natalie Davis and Haleigh Poston, took first overall in the event, posting an impressive time of 2:14.66, earning the Lady Raiders 40 points.
The Lady Raider 200-yard relay team had finished first in the event in the previous three meets, but was disqualified each time for a swimmer leaving the platform early. Murray and company finished ahead of Purnell Swett High School (2:15.97).
RAPID FIRE – FAST RESPONSES
1) What’s makes swimming such a challenging and rewarding sport for you?
“I’m not very competitive, but when I’m in the pool I am,” Murray said. “I always want to win and get an extra boost of energy when someone is in front of me in the pool. I like it because I get a workout and it’s all about being a part of a team.”
2) Describe what it’s like during a race. What are you thinking about when you’re in the pool?
“I talk to myself the whole time all I think about is winning,” she smiled. “I always want to do my best. Sometimes I act like there’s a car chasing me, and that helps the adrenaline kick in on the final lap.”
3) Who is someone who has impacted your life positively such as a mentor, teacher or coach?
“My Pa-Paw Ron Murray,” she said. “He’s always wanted what’s best for me, and he’s been there for me. He always wants me to learn from my mistakes and get better with everything.”
4) If you could choose one word to describe yourself, what would it be and why?
“Outgoing,” she laughed. “I like to have a good time and I’m not shy. I try not to worry what other people think.”
5) Name an interesting fact about yourself that many people may not know about you.
“I like to bowl and I’m pretty good at it,” she concluded. “I don’t go very often and I go with my family when I do. My mom and dad were in a league and I learned from that.
“I had a hard time trying to decide between swimming and bowling for Richmond,” she added. “But I really love being on the swim team.”
The Richmond swimming teams will be back in action when they participate in the Sandhills Athletic Conference championship meet on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 4 p.m.
