GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRSP) - Morning swim practices have a reputation for being early. For Abigail Kaiser, early starts are measured in another hour altogether.
At 4:30 a.m., while her teammates are still asleep, Kaiser is already undergoing 45 minutes of respiratory therapy to treat cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that affects her lungs and other organs.
Some mornings, she’ll head to the pool before school, too.
Then comes breakfast, medication, and classes at City High Middle School. After school, Kaiser heads to Union for another two hours of swimming, where she competes in the 500m freestyle and 100m breaststroke.
She joined swim for her health. Along the way, it became something more.
“Abigail always does what she’s asked,” said Redhawks swim coach Ian Wesolowski. “You would never know that she has CF. She doesn’t let that affect her.”
Kaiser started swimming as a sophomore after encouragement from her brother, Caleb, who also swam at Union, and her longtime friend and teammate, Emersen Brower. Last season, Kaiser was named the team's most improved swimmer.
Wesolowski said he is especially impressed that Kaiser swims the 500m, an event that demands endurance.
“You’d think it would be difficult for her,” he said, “but you’d never know she is dealing with CF.”
While Kaiser’s mornings begin with medical treatment and, at times, swimming, Brower’s days begin with a different kind of responsibility.
The City High Middle School senior is captain of the Union team while also serving as senior editor of the yearbook, co-vice president of Student Ambassadors, and vice president of Student Council. Her week is filled with meetings— Student Council on Tuesdays, yearbook on Wednesdays, and Ambassadors on Thursdays—before she heads to the pool.
Brower has learned to communicate with Wesolowski when club responsibilities make her late to practice. She brings snacks for the transition from school to swimming and relies heavily on planning to keep everything moving.
“It’s all about understanding my priorities and making sure I keep myself grounded in all I’m doing,” she said.
For both swimmers, school and sports require careful time management.
Kaiser’s junior and senior years have brought increased academic demands through the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Because she cannot write while undergoing her respiratory treatments, she has to find other opportunities to finish assignments. Often, that means completing schoolwork on the pool deck.
For Brower, homework happens after practice, between events at meets, or during whatever pockets of time she can find. Weekends often become catch-up time for school, club responsibilities and, during the fall, college applications.
But neither athlete’s identity ends at the pool.
Kaiser spends Saturdays at archery practice and works as a lifeguard at the YMCA. She enjoys crafting and sewing and is in her 13th year of Girl Scouts. She serves as a Scout Level Ambassador, Mackinac Island Honor Scout Senior Leader, and troop leader at Grand Rapids Montessori.
She especially enjoys working with younger girls and helping preserve the traditions she valued growing up.
Brower spends winters skiing, a passion she has had since she was three. She recently traveled to Italy with her dad and plans to ski in Chile. She also plays Redhawks soccer and enjoys movies and television when she finds time.
Despite their busy schedules, both have found a place in swimming.
Brower describes herself as intensely competitive before her events, while Kaiser brings a steady determination that has helped her grow as a swimmer.
Their routines may look different, but both reflect the culture of Union girls swim and dive: show up, work hard, and make no excuses.
