POULSBO — Before the eighth grade, North Kitsap swimmer Kathryn Parker wasn’t sure if she’d ever take up a competitive sport — but she always knew one thing for certain.

“I can’t run on a treadmill or ride on a stationary bike,” she said. “But I can swim in a pool back and forth all day.”

Now — as she achieves times worthy of competing at the district meet for this year’s North Kitsap Vikings team — it is difficult for her to imagine life without swimming. But becoming a swimmer was always an idea she’d had in the back of her mind.

“For most of my life, I thought about joining the swim team,” Parker said. “But I never had the initiative.”

That all changed when Parker started the eighth grade and had NK swim coach Greg Braun as her science teacher. Having always wanted to take up competitive swimming, Braun told her of an outlet — the Poulsbo Piranhas swim club. She decided the time was right to start training and did so with the Piranhas just six months before becoming a freshman at NKHS.

She was aided greatly by Piranhas coach Mark VanHuis.

“Mark is awesome,” Parker said. “He really pushed me to meet my goals.”

Parker admitted it was a surprise to make the varsity team as a ninth grader but said she took the opportunity to train hard for spots at the district meet.

And qualify she did — earning multiple spots including the 400 yard freestyle relay, the 500 freestyle and the 100 yard backstroke.

After the season, Parker took a few months off — mainly because the NK pool’s boiler went down — but returned “pretty much the day the boiler was fixed,” she said.

Swimming in a few off-season events, Parker bumped her training regimen up in July and August, working out in the pool once, if not twice, a day.

Parker’s also impressed her coach, who said she’s come a long way — but has definitely earned her spot.

“Kathryn takes a lot of responsibility for her performances,” Braun said. “And she doesn’t look for shortcuts. She always wants to push harder and harder.”

Parker fancies the longer distances over the shorter ones, stating that endurance is her greatest strength.

“I don’t sprint. But I swim hard,” Parker said, noting that enjoys swimming in long distance events primarily because she can keep an eye on those she’s competing against.

“I like to be able to watch my competitors,” Parker said. “That way you can gauge yourself.”

In practice, Braun said she brings a work ethic that pushes her teammates — a leader by her actions in the pool.

“She’s always one of the first people in the pool, always hungry to learn about the sport,” Braun said.

Parker said she’s “praying for a top 12” at districts that would qualify her into the final day of competition. But Braun said he sees a long term, heightened potential in her.

“Maybe not this year — but I could see her getting to the state level in her next two,” he said.