Kalea Seaton

From tennis to basketball to soccer, track, and even cross country, Kalea Seaton ‘24 tried a lot of sports until she finally settled on swimming.

“All my life I’ve done sports and just quit them,” Seaton said. “I would always be trying new sports and, I guess, swimming just stuck.”

Seaton started swimming competitively in fifth grade and is now in the Junior Elite training group as part of the Iowa Flyers Swim Club. 

“I like that [swimming] is a team sport but it can also be more of an individual sport, so you focus on improving yourself,” Seaton said.

Her current goals include improving her starts and working on her mentality going into her races. Eventually, she wants to swim in college. 

“I really don’t think in the long term that much,” Seaton said. “I mostly think about smaller goals. And when I reach those goals I just think of another goal.”

This past swim season, Seaton was one of six state qualifiers on the City High girls swimming and diving team. She qualified as a member of the 400 yard freestyle relay.

“She’s really intrinsically motivated,” head coach Zane Hugo said. “Not only does she do the extra work, but she is happy to do it and because of that we’re able to talk honestly about what she needs to do to improve.”

The 400 yard freestyle relay of Heidi Stalkfleet ‘22, Averi Loria ‘22, Seaton, and Rika Yahashiri ‘21 placed 15th at the IGHSAU state meet with a total time of 3:43.53, making it the highest placing relay from City at the meet. Seaton’s 100 yard freestyle split broke one minute for the first time that season, with a time of 59.84.

“I’ve been really glad to have the opportunity to coach her this year,” Hugo said. “She’s been a key part in our success here at the end of the season so I think we’re really lucky to have her, for now and for the future.”