Anna Kirby, ‘25, competed in the PA State Swim Championships in March, culminating one of the greatest swimming careers in Stroudsburg history.
This was her second time competing at the prestigious event, a testament to her skill and dedication to the sport. In her first time last year, Kirby placed in the top 20 in the 50 freestyle and was not able to qualify for the 100 freestyle.
This time around was different for her, placing top 10 in the 50 freestyle and qualifying for the 100 freestyle, both improvements from her first states appearance. She was able to make finals in the 100 freestyle, placing fifteenth overall. She became the first female Stroudsburg swimmer to qualify for finals in two individual events in the same year.
Kirby attributes much of her success to the guidance of her coaches, saying, “My coaches helped prepare me for such high level of competition by giving me positive things to think about. If I focused on the negatives and the fact that there were quite a few people ahead of me in the seedings, I would sike myself out.”
From a young age, Kirby has had a love for swimming, “I started swimming when I was eight years old. I started with the youth group swimming for the local YMCA and I just stuck with it all throughout high school.”
She also took advice from her family members to swim, “My cousin had done swimming and she told me to…My aunt told me to try it.”
The hard work has paid off for her from her start at eight years old to now. Stroudsburg Swimming head coach William Conklyn credited Kirby with her development from her first year to now.
“Anna has made a tremendous amount of improvement over the past four years,” Conklyn commented. “As a freshman, she was a consistent contributor in a few individual and relay events. After that season, she decided to swim year-round because she wanted to take her abilities to the next level.”
“Over the course of the next three seasons, she was constantly improving and moving up the ranks. She kept dropping time in all eight individual events, swam in a dual meet, and became one of the best swimmers in the area, as well as in Stroudsburg Swimming history.”
Even though Kirby did not get the times she wanted, she kept her head up, “Although I didn’t get a best time in my events at states, I placed very well and even made history with my swims. I am so proud of myself and could not have asked for a better season.”
She really couldn’t have asked for a better season, breaking multiple Stroudsburg records in swimming. She also is ranked in the top 50 in the state of PA for female swimmers. On her road to states, she placed 1st in the District 11 championships.
Kirby also placed first in three events in PA YMCA State Championships in late March in Morgantown, West Virginia. Her broken records this season add on to her already impressive collection of broken records from last year.
As a result of her continued excellence, Anna Kirby has cemented her legacy in Stroudsburg Swimming. She is now regarded as one of the best swimmers in the history of the program.
Kirby plans on continuing her academic and athletic career at Division I Marist University.
