Family. It is a bond that is created the moment one is born. Swimming is something that strengthens that bond for one Xavier family.

Xavier junior Spencer Kramer and his brother Carter (X18) both have swam competitively for Kennedy High School. Spencer is finishing up his junior season. Both boys have done the 50 yard freestyle and were key swimmers in relays. Spencer’s motivation from Carter and his commitment to the sport recently qualified him for the state swim meet, which Carter also achieved in high school.

“I watched him swim fast and my parents pushed me to go out because they thought I could be just as good,” Spencer said. “So I went out reluctantly and ended up enjoying it.”

Carter has gotten to see his brother have his moment to shine. 

“Spencer has evolved to be more confident in himself and his abilities,” Carter said. “We both have learned the life lesson of hard work and being able to stick with something to see it through, even if we did not always enjoy going to practice everyday.”

Spencer and Carter’s mother, Sherry Kramer, talked about how the two of them have grown not just as swimmers and athletes, but as people.

“Swimming is not always a glamorous sport,” Sherry said. “Both boys have talked about the boredom of spending hours looking at a black line. High school swimming is also more team oriented than club swimming.  This has taught them the value of doing your part for a team and the importance of creating a fun environment.”

She has seen both of them improve their bond through swimming and their similar experiences.

“Since Carter started swimming first and most of our weekends were dedicated to being around the pool, it was natural for Spencer to show interest and participate,” Sherry said. “They would often come home from practice, sharing stories about teammates or dreaded practice sets.  After Carter graduated and Spencer started swimming at Kennedy, several of Carter’s close teammates were excited to have Spencer on the team. This created an instant mentorship for Spencer. They still share stories from meets or practices.”

Spencer recently competed in the state swim meet on Saturday, February 13 at the Linn-Mar Aquatic Center. Spencer set personal records in the medley and 200 free relay. He will certainly use the tools has been given to come back stronger for next season.