Yes, that’s the proverb that would better fit Warren senior Kirsten Johnson, close to following her older sister in becoming a college swimmer.

Two years after Paige Johnson became part of the Gannon University women’s swim team, little sister Kirsten has committed to swim at Edinboro University beginning in the fall.

“The person I have learned the most from would be my sister, Paige,” said Kirsten. “Throughout the years, she has always been someone I could go to for advice, school work, and athletics, especially swimming. Even though we are both so competitive towards one another, she never fails to critique me and give me tips on how to be better.”

But don’t think for one second that she is Paige; Kirsten is her own person and swimmer.

Submitted Photo Kirsten Johnson has been swimming competitively since she was 6 years old (shown here swimming at the Warren YMCA). Twelve years later, she’s a senior on the WAHS swim team, committed to Division II Edinboro University’s women’s swim team.

“When I was younger, I used to swim more breaststroke, but now I am more of a backstroker and only really swim breaststroke in the IM (individual medley),” said Kirsten. “Paige has always been a breaststroker and always gives me tips how to fix my stroke. I believe my longer legs and arms help me with my backstroke. Meanwhile, Paige is more built in her upper body, which helps with her pull in breastroke. I plan to continue swimming backstroke and the IM in college, but will pick up any other events my new coach believes I will perform well in.

“The components that played a part into me considering swimming in college at the next level have lingered in my head since I was a young swimmer,” said Kirsten. “It became more apparent to me the past few years of high school as I began to have more success. My sister swimming in college also helped give me some inside eyes to how the college level works and if I would be up to the challenge. We have both always been competitive with each other; now we have a chance to compete against one another yet again.”

Johnson added: “Competing in so many different sports throughout my high school career definitely made me think, once I got to college, ‘what would I do without sports?’ Sports have been such a good outlet for me over the years to spend time not just staying in shape, but being around a team with everyone pushing each other to be their best. I believe the one thing that opened my eyes the most to competing in college was being able to qualify last season for the PIAA State Championships. It was a very good experience being at that meet and seeing how many high-level swimmers were there.”

Johnson qualified for the PIAA meet last season in the 100 backstroke, finishing 26th.

“My greatest memories from youth and high school sports are being a part of teams, making memories, and learning life lessons that I can carry with me the rest of my life,” she said. “One of my best memories is qualifying for the PIAA State Championship and being able to experience it.”

Which is why she wants to return this season.

“My short-term goals in life are to keep improving in swim to return back to the state championships, keep up my grades as I finish high school, and settle into college with a new chapter ahead of me,” said Kirsten. “My long-term goals in the future are to be successful as a college swimmer, graduate college with good grades, find a good job, and start a family of my own in a big house with a man I love.”

It’s not difficult to think that sports have helped her realize goals outside of sports.

“Sports have certainly shaped Kirsten in many positive ways,” said her mother, Kim. “She started to swim competitively through the YMCA swim team at 6 years old. Initially, for Kirsten, swimming was more of a social event. Her competitive spirit grew quickly, though, and she learned improvements only came through hard work. She has become extremely self-motivated. Swimming is like no other sport and excelling often involves waking up at 5 a.m. to swim before school and often practicing again in the evening all to gain speed and stamina to become stronger than your competitors. It takes years of this routine to be a successful swimmer. Kirsten has been doing this for 12 years.

“Kirsten played youth soccer and volleyball and track through her junior high and high school years,” said Kim. “This certainly gave her the value of being part of a team and learning to work towards a goal. The girls’ sports have helped us bond as a family. From having mutual interests, managing schedules, to enjoying different physical activities, it’s brought us together over the years. As parents (Paul and Kim Johnson), we have had many proud moments, but also heartbreaking ones along the way. Kirsten worked extremely hard, narrowly missing the YMCA state swim meet several times. She then qualified for the YMCA state meet her freshman year, only to have it canceled due to COVID. While this was extremely hard to explain as a parent, I am certain it was this that pushed her to qualify and swim in the PIAA high school meet last year. She is looking forward to competing in college and we can’t wait to watch and support her on her journey.”

Kirsten didn’t have a whole lot of wasted time growing up.

“Sports are one of the biggest components to my life; they always have been since I was little,” she said. “When I was younger, it was more just for fun, but as I grew, I became more competitive. Almost every weekend growing up, I had swim meets, volleyball tournaments, or even just practices. My down time is very limited and there is not much of it. Throughout the past four years of high school during the fall, I played volleyball, (during) winters I had high school and USA swim along with travel volleyball. In the spring time, I competed in track and field and in the summers I swam with a USA swim team from Jamestown… I keep myself busy and would not want it any other way.

“The thing I love most about swimming is all the work you put in is what you get out of it,” said Kirsten. “It does not matter if the defense let the other team score, if someone lost their serve on the game point, or even if somebody was not giving their best effort that day. It is even more amazing that everyone on the team will push each other through hard practices and be as encouraging as possible.

“I never really thought about pursuing any other sport in college other than swimming,” added Johnson. “It has always been the one I succeeded most in and the one I enjoyed most.”