Printer Friendly Version - Moore-Markey Makes the Most of Her Senior Season

Despite missing most of the season with an injury, senior captain Kaitlyn Moore-Markey still proved an exemplary leader who was always there to encourage her teammates on the Branford girls’ swimming and diving squad. Photo courtesy of Kaitlyn Moore-Markey

Kaitlyn Moore-Markey joined the Branford girls’ swimming and diving team when she was looking to try something new as a freshman. Kaitlyn had always loved the water and decided that she wanted to give competitive swimming a shot.

“I’ve always enjoyed swimming, whether it was in the pool or in the ocean,” Kaitlyn says. “I figured as I went to high school, I would try a brand-new experience and, I enjoyed the sport so much, I decided it was something I wanted to continue throughout my senior year.”

Kaitlyn worked her way up the ranks and was named a captain for her senior season, but unfortunately, she missed most of the campaign due to a knee injury. Still, Kaitlyn continued to lead the Hornets by attending all of their practices, meets, and team activities. Head Coach Scott Butler was impressed with how the senior captain contributed to his team, even though she was out for good portion of the year.

“When her season was cut short, her leadership role took on a different take. She went from leading in the water to leading by cheering the team on and running team dinners. It was a lot more of a supportive role. She still attended every practice, and that sets a tone for the younger members of the team,” Butler says. “She was a huge help to me, where you usually don’t have somebody in that capacity who is there like a coach. It was like having an additional staff member, and it was vital, because we had six freshmen this year.”

Ultimately, Kaitlyn had surgery to repair a torn meniscus. It was a difficult decision for Kaitlyn, but a necessary one, because the pain was becoming too much to deal with.

“I had a tear in my meniscus, and my kneecap had a malalignment, so it was tracking wrong. I ended up having to get surgery to re-track my knee. It really started to impact me this season, so I decided to draw the line,” says Kaitlyn. “It was really hard for me, because we were only three or four meets through the season, which was upsetting. I wasn’t able to swim at [the SCC Championship], but I knew it wasn’t about me. It was about the team. So, if I could be there to help them outside the pool, that was the best thing I could do as a captain.”

Kaitlyn had a lot to learn after coming to the Hornets with no experience as a competitive swimmer. However, she worked hard throughout her time with the team and eventually found her stride in the water.

“I was difficult, because I wasn’t used to having to hold my breath for that long and then having to do flip turns,” Kaitlyn says. “With help from Coach Scott, I had a lot of new knowledge brought to me, and I gained so much confidence.”

Kaitlyn primarily competed in the sprinting events for the Hornets. She swam the 50 freestyle, the 100 freestyle, and on the 200 freestyle relay, in addition to doing the 100 backstroke.

“I was mainly a sprinter. I was always pushing myself to go fast and sprint. Even on distance swims, I would wear myself out,” says Kaitlyn. “All the training I had helped get the adrenaline going in a sprint, and I knew it was over after two or four laps. That’s what pushed me to keep going.”

Kaitlyn feels proud that all of her effort led to her being named a senior captain. She says that earning the captain’s hat for Branford was an unexpected honor.

“It honestly was such a great thing that happened to me. I wasn’t one of the strongest swimmers on the team, but it improved my confidence being a captain,” Kaitlyn says. “My season was cut short this year…but it was an overall great thing, as I was able to come so far.”

While she wanted to be out there competing, Kaitlyn still enjoyed leading the team from the sidelines. Despite the injury, Kaitlyn made the most of her senior season by supporting her fellow Hornets at every turn.

“I was at every practice, and I was always there cheering people on. I never left the side of the pool and was always getting people ready,” says Kaitlyn. “I was always present, and I feel like, for the girls, having a captain outside the pool was an overall good thing, because I was there to be a supporter.”