Senior Spotlight: Kate Bokowy was born to be a swimmer

Editor’s note: This is a weekly series dedicated to highlighting local senior athletes.

SANDPOINT — Some people wake up early each morning and catch the worm, others not so much.

Kate Bokowy is the former. Being a swimmer has forced the senior captain to become a morning person. But she doesn’t mind it because that means she gets to see her teammates.

While there are times when hitting the snooze on her alarm in the morning looks appealing, she thinks about her team and not letting them down.

“I guess really it’s guilt that gets me up in the morning,” Kate joked.

Kate was born in the water. She started taking swimming lessons at 3 years old and began competing in meets at 5. Her older sister, Payton, was the same and Kate admitted that if Payton would have given up swimming when they were younger, she probably would have as well.

“When I was little I just copied everything that she did,” Kate said.

Kate’s mom, Jacinda Bokowy, said her and her husband, Tom, were adamant that their daughters learn how to swim and ski because if you live in Sandpoint those are musts. From there, it was all them.

“They kind of just fell into it,” Jacinda said. “It has been the best thing for them and it has always been their choice whether they wanted to do it or not.”

In elementary school, Kate said she realized she wanted to put everything she had into swimming.

“It was never really a question of like should I do this, this is just what I do,” she said.

Kate started seeing significant improvement in the pool in fourth grade, winning events and building close bonds with her teammates, and she never once thought about giving it up.

She did two years of lacrosse in middle school and gave track a shot her freshman year, but it was clear she was meant to be in the water.

Sandpoint swim head coach Greg Jackson has known Kate for 15 years. He said Kate has a unique joy for the sport.

“What makes her such a special swimmer is her love for it,” he said.

For about three months this spring, Kate and the rest of the team couldn’t get into the pool due to the coronavirus pandemic. Jackson said the time off allowed Kate to refocus and reflect on why she swims and it has led to her being stronger than she has ever been this season.

Kate helped lead the girls team to their second state title last season and was a member of the 200 medley and 400 free relays squads that claimed state crowns.

During the regular high school season, Kate doesn’t have a set group of events she swims in because she’s willing to go wherever her team needs her.

“I kind of just swim whatever Greg puts me in and I don’t complain,” she said. “I want to be put in the events that will help my team win.”

But when state and districts roll around, Kate gravitates toward the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly. The events require perfect technique, so most shy away from both and that’s why Kate loves them.

“It’s kind of like a badge of honor doing the events that are harder,” she said.

Kate said swimming has helped her learn how to deal with failure and to live in the moment. Outside of swim, Kate enjoys yoga and isn’t too bothered by homework. Her older sister, Payton, is a junior on the Washington State University swim team, but Kate isn’t planning on following in her footsteps and pursuing a collegiate swimming career. Instead, she wants to focus on studying electrical engineering and has narrowed her list of colleges down to 20. And no, WSU is not one of them.

“I don’t know if that college is big enough for both Payton and I,” Kate joked.

Kate has a lot of people in her life she looks up to, but her sister takes the top stop for her.

“I think Payton probably is my biggest role model,” she said. “I think she was one of the major influences in why I work so hard in school and swim because we always had a healthy competition.”

Jackson said he’s really enjoyed being a part of Kate’s life over the years and watching her transform into a bright, responsible person who has an old soul.

“She knows how to call you out on your shortfalls,” Jackson said. “I’m going to miss her a lot.”

Kate said Jackson has helped shape her into the person she is and she admitted they have a special relationship.

“I think Kate could call him for anything,” Jacinda said about Jackson, “and he would drop what he was doing and be there for her.”

Over the last four years, swimming has consumed Kate’s life and she can’t imagine going through high school without it.

“It’s meant a lot to me,” she said. “ It definitely added more of a sense of community and pride for my school. I think without swim, high school would probably be a lot more boring.”

This past Saturday was Senior Night for the SHS swim team. The special day allowed Jacinda to dig up old pictures of Kate first. Jacinda said her daughter looked so little, timid and scared when she first started swimming and now she has blossomed into someone who feels comfortable in any environment.

“Her dad and I couldn’t be more proud of her,” Jacinda said. “She is so humble and she truly does put her team first.”

Jackson said Kate’s commitment level is unmatched and she never takes the easy way out.

“I don’t think failure is in her vocabulary,” he said. “She knows how to take a knock down, get up and keep going.”