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Thursday, November 1, 2007
Plano’s Swimming Sister Act
Collin County, TX
By: Tim Polzer
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Photo(s) By: Kyle Danztler/MyActionPortraits.com
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The Konickes – Genny, Kelsey and Marissa – have learned to push each other in the pool and still enjoy being sisters out of the water
By all accounts, Genny Konicke appears to be on verge of the most exciting time of her young life. She’s an All-American high school swimmer enjoying the attention of recruiters from Arizona, Auburn, Florida, SMU, Texas and Texas A&M as she enters her competitive prime. She’s thinking about which school she’ll attend, what she’ll major in and maybe even about the following night’s homecoming. All seems right with Genny – until the thought of her impending future reminds her of the inevitable. She’s going to have to leave her sisters soon.
“I’ve enjoyed going on recruiting trips and am looking forward to getting out on my own,” she said. “But at night, when I’m trying to sleep, I realize: I’m really going to miss my sisters.”
“The Sisters” as Plano swim coach Philip Wiggins calls the Konickes are Genny, Kelsey, a junior, and freshman Marissa. Training, competing and sharing each other’s accomplishments is a convergence all three have been waiting for.
“I was looking so forward to my senior year because all three of us would be together,” Genny said. “There are so many advantages to it. We’re all three there for each other. If Kelsey sees me having a hard time in practice, she’s always there to pick me up. She and Rissa are always there for me.”
It’s been a convergence in the making since the Air Force assigned their father, Tom, to stations in New Mexico and Anchorage, Alaska. Genny, the defending state champion in 50-meter freestyle, was the first Konicke to take to the water. Kelsey and Marissa eventually followed.
“I remember our first meet,” Kelsey said. “Our sister was really good, so Rissa and I were really scared. So Mom used to encourage us with Snickers bars. She got us back in the pool.”
Swimming the same breaststroke events has pitted Kelsey and Marissa against each other, at least in the pool.
“I’m a little faster right now, said Kelsey, who hopes to qualify for state on a relay team. “But she’s starting to catch up. It’s getting competitive.”
Being the youngest sibling can be tough, but Marissa seems to enjoy playing the role of underdog. “I think it’s really cool. It helps me a lot. They always encourage me but sometimes they make me want to beat them.”
“Oh, yeah,” said Genny, who never raced in an outdoor pool while competing in Alaska. Upon relocating to Plano, she dramatically dropped her personal-best time and helped Plano record a 9-0 record in dual meets.
As if spending hours together competing and training aren’t tough enough, actually living with your teammates can test even the best sister’s nerves.
“Every once in a while, if we’ve gotten into a fight the night before, it’s like, ‘Now I’ve got to spend more time with them at the pool,’” Genny said.
“I remember the first time I beat you,” Marissa reminded Genny.
“Oh, my gosh. Rissa and I were racing in the 100 breaststroke and she beats me,” Genny said. “I was so mad, I stormed out of the pool. I wouldn’t even talk to my coach.”
But Genny needed just 24 hours to get over losing to her youngest sister – and deliver some payback.
But in the 200 [breaststroke] the next day, she beat me in the splits by four seconds,” Marissa said.
“Yeah, having my younger sister beat me really pushed me,” Genny said.
Competition aside, the Konicke sisters seem to realize the value of spiritually bonding with each other.
“We’re kind of like each other’s backup. If we’re upset with how we’re swimming or if we’re having a conflict with one of our friends, we can always go to our sisters,” Marissa said.
Inevitably, even the closest of sisters are going to get on each other’s nerves, right?
“We’re sisters, so, yeah, we have our fights, but it always makes us stronger,” Genny said. “We really trust each other,” Genny said.
So, sibling rivalries and sisterly conflicts aside, what’s the worst thing about three sisters swimming for the same team? If one sister is late to practice, all three are late.
“I drive, and it takes us forever to get all of our gear into the car,” Genny said.
“We’re always late, so for punishment, we have to put up the lane ropes,” Kelsey said, as the sisters laughed together. It’s a scene that will become more rare as Genny counts down the days to graduation and Kelsey spends the summer preparing for her senior season at Plano.
Two years from now, the Konicke’s breakfast room will be much quieter and Marissa will be swimming without a sister by her side. “It’s going to be really different. I’m going to miss them a lot.”
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