By Ellie Zhou
For most people, waking up at 5:30 a.m. to train for swimming sounds grueling, but for senior Kelsey Yang, it is routine. She has been swimming for 14 years and now trains competitively with both De Anza Cupertino Aquatics and the Westmont swim team. She describes her relationship with the pool as a non-negotiable routine. “If I don’t go, I’m not going to get better, and then I’m not going to succeed in what I want to do,” she explains, noting that the “guilt” of breaking routine is a motivating force for her. The disciplined mindset that Kelsey hones in the water has extended into her daily life. “Swim has made me more resilient because you’re like I don’t want to give up. I have to do this.”
Swimming has forged unique bonds between Kelsey and her teammates. As a group leader in DACA and captain of the Westmont Varsity swim team, she jokingly refers to some of her younger teammates as her “children.”
Freshman Jun Truong, who swims with Kelsey both at DACA and on the school team, describes her as “a very good leader.” Jun notes that Kelsey always makes an effort to include everyone. “In club swim, we have this chant, and she always leads it. She’s like the unofficial captain of our team.” “She gives pep talks before events,” Jun says, “and after my events, she always asks how I did and how I think I could improve.”
Coach Adrian, Kelsey’s long-time DACA coach, reflects on Kelsey’s contributions to the team environment and care for her teammates. “She’s very natural at leading people,” he says. He recalls a travel meet where Kelsey acted like a mother for the group, leading them to go warm ups and cheer for each other. “People don’t follow bad leaders even if they get chosen, but having her teammates follow her, that is how you know that that is a mark of a leader,” he notes. Kelsey prioritizes her dedication to her swim family. Coach Adrian recalls a meet last November when Kelsey was sidelined by an injury. Rather than heading home early to rest, she insisted on staying to lap-count and cheer on her teammates. “To me what sticks out the most from all my years coaching her is just seeing how she’s now developed into this great human being who doesn’t leave anybody behind.”
Besides swimming, Kelsey finds genuine fulfillment in volunteering at the Second Harvest Food Bank. Her motivation is driven by her family’s history. “My dad’s an immigrant, and he has told me about the struggles of having to immigrate to America and how hard it is to financially support yourself. Assisting in food banks allows me to help other people and assist that struggle,” she says. Her same desire for impact took her to Panama last summer with Global Glimpse, where she, along with a group of high schoolers, cleaned up beaches, planted trees, and educated the local kids on recycling and protecting the environment. Connecting with others who shared her dedication for the greater good brought her a sense of hope that her efforts were part of something much bigger.
This sense of purpose is no surprise to those who know her best. Her best friend, Charlotte Guillerm, describes Kelsey as a “strong-willed” and deeply compassionate person who isn’t afraid to be assertive when she needs to. “She stands up for you,” Charlotte shares. “She knows what she believes in and she’s not afraid to stand up [for it], and I really admire that.”
Kelsey’s 10th grade Chemistry teacher, Gargi Verma, comments on her collaborative leadership and dedication to group success. She describes Kelsey as a “humble leader,” who always proactively took initiative to help others. Unlike students who might focus solely on themselves, Kelsey views success as a collective effort. Verma noted that for Kelsey, “group success is success, not just her alone,” and she is constantly looking out for peers who might be struggling with a concept.
In everything that she does, Kelsey is grounded by a strong commitment towards uplifting and helping those around her.