Andover Girls Swimming Co-Captain Elissa Kim ’24 is an example of the hard work and dedication that goes into the world of competitive swimming. One of the three Co-Captains of the team, Kim strives to inspire her teammates by motivating them with excellence in and out of the pool and encouraging bonding between different teams.
This year is the first year that the Varsity and Junior Varsity girls swimming teams have been combined. According to Kim’s Co-Captain Molly MacKinnon ’24, Kim’s leadership has helped to bridge the gap between the former varsity and junior varsity members on the team. MacKinnon emphasized how Kim has acted as a force in keeping the energy high.
“This year, we have combined Varsity and JV, so we are one big team now. We have meets on Wednesday and Saturday, and we have been working really hard to make sure that everyone is feeling included. She is someone that everyone on the team, Varsity or JV, is comfortable talking to. She always breaks it down before each meet and is always hyping the team up. She helps the lowerclassmen lower their nerves and always makes sure to lessen the anxiety when it comes to meets,” said MacKinnon.
MacKinnon noted Kim’s accomplishments in the pool, as she holds multiple school records and is an integral part of the team. She mentioned Kim’s ability to motivate and inspire her teammates to continue striving for their best.
“[Elissa Kim] is definitely a confident swimmer. She is really fun to be around. She is great at including people on the team, and she has done that since her Lower Year and now as a Captain. She is a really strong swimmer [and] has multiple school records so she has just been a really fun person to watch and race. When I am unmotivated to do something during practice, she is always pushing me to improve on myself. She is a really fun person to be around, and she brings energy to the pool deck. She always pushes us to be better every practice, and it has been great seeing her improve throughout the season,” said MacKinnon.
Introduced to the sport by a family friend, Kim first began swimming at the age of six. Her passion and joy in the water have led to her competitive swimming career ever since.
“I started swimming because one of my family friends started swimming and they really enjoyed it… I loved the water, [so] I kept swimming and have done it for the past 11 years of my life,” said Kim.
Kim has been a positive influence on everyone she meets, working to include everyone and set a comfortable tone to practices. Aimee Qi ’27 recalled her very first interaction with Kim, noting Kim’s open communication and how it helped her adjust to the new team and school.
“I met [Elissa] during revisit day last year. She was very open to answering any questions we had, and we were able to text her any questions… I think that the biggest thing was at first during open swim in the fall term, I didn’t know anyone on the team, and I was still getting used to Andover. She was a really good line of communication for the team and made sure that I was getting used to the team and the school.” said Qi.
Kim emphasized creating a tight-knit community within swimming, making sure that the entire team feels welcome. She specifically mentioned teamwork as a core value that will help the team succeed in the future.
“Creating relationships outside of the pool, doing team events, and eating meals together, we had a team meeting recently. Having respect for others and for yourself is also really important,” said Kim.
Committed to Columbia University for swimming, Kim spoke about finding ways to appreciate and love swimming despite the struggles she has faced. Although competing in the sport can be affected by many factors, Kim highlighted the importance of simply enjoying what she does.
“I am planning on swimming in college, so I am really excited about that. Something I have to work on is worrying about things outside of my control. I sometimes spiral into what-ifs, and I need to realize that these things are out of my control and I just need to have fun. Balancing a lot of the pressures of the sport, either external or internal, as well as balancing what is great about this sport, and I have been doing this all of my life. Just remembering my love for the sport is important,” said Kim.
