Racing in the gene pool

A cold scowl greets her swimming competitors at the starting blocks before each Braden River High School race, a face of focus, of intimidation and of confidence.

Pirates freshman Kate Walker, who already has a couple of district runner-up finishes on her resume, doesn’t mean to scare her opponents, and in fact, she never knew she was producing such a glare. After enough people mentioned it, she understood what they were talking about while she watched her brother, Ryan Walker.

He made a similar face, and it carried the same impact.

Last year, Ryan Walker became the first Braden River individual swimming state champion, winning the boys 100-yard breaststroke in 56.41 seconds. He is now swimming at Drury University in Springfield, Mo., and Kate Walker hopes to follow in his footsteps.

“She’s got a great opportunity to end up more accomplished than me,” Ryan Walker said. "It's like she's got a head start on everybody."

Kate Walker finished second in both the girls 100-yard breaststroke and the girls 100-yard butterfly at Braden River’s Class 3A District 7 meet on Oct. 21. Those are her two favorite strokes, because they’re two of the hardest strokes. It takes a lot of strength to swim them with speed. Thankfully, the Walkers have natural strength.

“Someone asked me, ‘Do you lift weights?" Kate Walker said. “I was like, ‘Weights? I don’t even know how to lift a weight.’”

Her performance at the district meet now sends her to the Class 3A Region 3 meet at 5 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Florida Gulf Coast University Aquatics Center.

Kate and Ryan used to talk everyday before the elder Walker left for college, usually about swimming. They now talk when they find the time, and Ryan still offers advice.

“He told my mom to tell me this, like, last week,” Kate Walker said. “Freestyle. I need to stop swinging my arms. I don’t really extend and reach (like she should). I have a short stroke, short and choppy.”

Cyndi McMahon, the new head swim coach at Braden River, was previously the head coach at Manatee, where Ryan Walker swam his freshman year. She’s had experience with both kids, and said it’s easy to see similarities in the two. They both have a knack for inspiring other swimmers around them through their own passion.  

“Ryan, when he came out the very first time (at Manatee), they almost worshipped the ground he walked on and said ‘Oh my gosh, look at that kid,’” McMahon said. “Kate has that same tradition. I think the other kids see her and they yearn to be what she is.”

Kate and Ryan Walker’s mom, Christine Walker, is an assistant swim coach at Braden River. She said her daughter helps coach the novice swimmers in the program before her own practice begins with the club team, the Sarasota Tsunami. Her brother filled that role in the past.

After playing volleyball and soccer while growing up, Kate Walker settled on swimming. She became frustrated in the other sports when teammates don’t listen to the coaches or caused the team to lose because of mistakes. She would rather participate in a sport where individuals concentrate on their own performance, but then can come together to celebrate as a team.

Her most challenging moment in the water came two summers ago at a club meet in Clearwater. She was racing the 200-yard butterfly in a long course pool, which meant she had fewer turns.

Her pace was way too fast early and with 20 yards to go, she hit a wall. It was the worst pain she had ever felt.

She didn’t panic and instead fought through the pain and finished the race. It was a learning experience. She’ll never burn out so early again, although she was impressed by her own strength and intestinal fortitude in that moment.

Kate Walker is still learning new things and making refinements to her technique. She’ll get even stronger and she is confident that someday, she’ll leave a similar legacy at Braden River to that of Ryan.

Ryan Walker has just as much confidence in her.

“I didn’t even make it out of districts my freshman year,” Ryan Walker said. “She’s farther along than I was (as a freshman). She’s a driven person, she knows what she’s doing. I believe in her.”