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PELHAM MANOR, N.Y. -- Kate Douglass was in her second year swimming for the New York Athletic Club when swim coach Kevin Carolan saw the potential.
Kate had a really good year when she was eight, Carolan said. Thats when the coaches and her mom and dad realized that Kate was good at the sport so we all encouraged her to continue with it because she had the talent.
Some children are good at one or two strokes, but Kate has four good strokes, Kate has a good feel for the water and is so fluid in the water.
Douglass dedicated herself to the sport and in just two years, has become one of the finest young swimmers in Westchester County. The 10-year-old. of Pelham, showcased her talents by winning two races and finishing second in two others at the recently completed Westchester County Swimming and Diving Championships.
Douglass won the girls 10-and-under 50-yard backstroke and butterfly and was second in the 50-yard freestyle and breaststroke. As a result, Douglass won the high-point award for the 10-and-under girls division. In her butterfly win, Douglass, a sixth-grader-to-be at Pelham Middle School, broke the event's 23-year-old record of 29.03 seconds, held by Melissa Lavery. Douglass went 27.18 seconds in her preliminary race, then lowered her record with a time of 27.09 seconds in the final.
Even though Kate did not win in those two races, she swam really well and she never got down on herself, Carolan said. She wanted to come right back. For Kate to set a record and then lower it, on the fourth day, just goes to show you what type of competitor she is.
Weve had talented swimmers here at the New York Athletic Club and Kate is next in that long line of talented swimmers. I look forward to coaching her for the next seven years.
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