A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Kiski Area’s Abby King

By: Ted Sarneso
Monday, January 29, 2024 | 11:45 AM

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Abby King has learned much in her four years with the Kiski Area swim team.

Her progression, mentally and physically, has given her a better understanding of how to swim, but more importantly, how to keep things in perspective.

“I got real beat down when I didn’t qualify for WPIALs my freshman year, and I brought that negative energy into my sophomore year,” King said. “Coach (Ryan) Berberich has been a big help in changing my mindset. He was on me all the time to be positive.”

Said Berberich: “I try to tell the kids that they’re not going to swim their best time every time, and there will be times where the effort they put in is more valuable than the time they get. Abby’s starting to grasp what I mean.”

Abby’s understanding and development led Berberich to name her a captain this season.

“She’s absolutely a leader,” Berberich said. “Her work ethic is recognized by the other kids on the team, and she interacts well with every kid on the team, even the boys squad.

“She’s just a wonderful young lady, a really good person, and I value that.”

King’s name is hanging form a banner in the school gymnasium alongside her fellow 400-yard freestyle relay members who set the school record last season at WPIALs. The same relay team qualified again this season.

“We’ve been lane partners since middle school, when we all started swimming together on a team,” King said. “We’ve always had that strong bond, and we always push each other to be the best.”

The Kiski Area girls swim team is undefeated with a 7-0 overall record, 3-0 in Section 4-2A.

Abby has qualified for WPIALs this year in the 50, 100, 200 and 500 free, the 100 breast, the 100 back, the 200 medley relay, the 200 free relay and the 400 free relay.

She took a few moments for a Senior Spotlight Q-and-A as the postseason approaches:

You placed fourth in the 100 breast and sixth in the 100 free at WPIALs last year. How have you trained to make another great showing this season?

Over the summer, I had the mindset of wanting to get better and get ready for senior year. I worked hard at long course in the summer. I came into the high school season with an open mind, knowing our team was going to be much stronger.

Which stroke do you enjoy swimming more, breast or freestyle?

Breaststroke. I enjoy swimming freestyle, but it doesn’t give me that adrenaline rush that breaststroke does.

Your best times this year, as of Jan. 8, have you sixth in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:10.19. Has that number improved in the weeks since?

We had a meet against Greensburg Salem on Jan. 11, and I was very surprised when I saw my time for the 100 breast in that meet. Any time I have competition, I try to pick it up and my coaches and I were comparing my times in that meet to ones from last year at this time and I have improved.

Because you and your relay partners have been together so long, is it easy to pick up when one of you might be having an off day or even a stronger one than the rest?

We do notice it, and we’ll point it out to each other. We’ll say, “Hey I know you’re having an off day, and your 100 percent might not be my 100 percent at the moment, but let’s try to give it our all.”

Which leg of a relay do you prefer to swim?

We’ve been experimenting this year, and I have been swimming the breaststroke in the medley relay and we’re still messing around with the order for the 400 free relay. I enjoyed being the lead last year in the 400 free relay, but I’m OK with any position.

What is your favorite high school memory so far?

States last year. It was a fun time. A lot of us were surprised to see the relays placed high enough that we got on the podium.

Any college plans?

I’m going to attend St. Francis University this fall and major in marine biology and zoo and aquarium science with a minor in open education. I will also be swimming for them.

What’s one piece of advice you would want to leave your teammates before graduating?

There’s always going to be setbacks, whether in the pool or in life in general. Just keep your head up knowing you gave it your all, and that way you won’t regret anything when you look back on those experiences.

Tags: Kiski Area