Breaking barriers

In lane 6 of the Farmington Aquatic Center, Tyler Kitseallyboy takes his stance on the starting block of the 100-meter freestyle during the New Mexico state championships.

With every stroke he thinks about how he's come a long way since he first tested the waters.

"Swimming relaxes my mind and everything goes away," Kitseallyboy said. "When I'm stressed and get in the pool, I feel like a different person."

Competitive swimming has taught the 14-year-old Kirtland, N.M., native about challenge, passion, taking chances, and rewards.

About two years ago Kitseallyboy was looking for a way to prepare for the football and basketball seasons so he decided to give swimming a try.

Lucinda Kitseallyboy, his mother, said she encouraged her son to try something new.

"He loves the water," she said, "and I basically told him they have a swim team in Farmington and I had a couple of coworkers whose kids were swimming. They said to have Tyler come out and see if he likes it for two weeks.

"He really liked the things he was doing," she said. "He went in as a developing swimmer and in one week went up to novice, the next level, and he was only there a month and he picked it up some more and his coach said he was ready for competitive swimming."

His first competition was in Albuquerque at the Kirtland Air Force Base Swim Meet where Tyler swam in a season that runs from January to July.

In his first meet, Tyler said he was nervous.

"I remember when he did the 400 freestyle, there were kids that beat him and it took him an extra three minutes to finish," his mother said. "He was the last one, but you could tell he was getting tired and he never quit."

"Some people said Navajos don't swim and I said, 'don't let people say that to you, you can do whatever you want. It's all up to you. It's an individual sport, I'm behind you 100 percent.'"

After a year and with encouragement from his coach, Trevor Grey, Tyler was the anchor for the 400-meter medley relay and helped the team win first place at the state championships.

This year Tyler will transfer to Farmington High or Piedra Vista High so he can compete on a high school swim team.

He competes in the 50-meter freestyle, 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle. He also does the 50-meter backstroke, 100-meter backstroke and the 200-meter backstroke.

But it's the 1-mile freestyle event that he loves.

"It's the longest and you have to be strong in the mind," he said.

At the state championships in Farmington last weekend there were 389 swimmers and 45 teams from throughout New Mexico.

In the 50 freestyle, Tyler was 18th and in the 100 backstroke he was 16th, which wasn't bad for a middle school athlete competing against high school swimmers.

Tyler has given up friends, changed schools and spends Monday through Saturday practicing, but swimming has taught him to have confidence.

It's also given him the opportunity to break barriers.

"I feel like bringing the sport to Native Americans," he said, "to bring more Native Americans into this sport because they'll probably be good."

Tyler's father, Darrin Kitseallyboy, was a state wrestling champion and cross-country runner, but his mother never participated in sports.

Tyler is the second oldest child and has three siblings, Marcus Kitseallyboy, Emily Kitseallyboy and Phyllis Kitseallyboy.

His maternal grandparents are Leo and Emma Bonney from Newcomb, N.M., and his paternal grandparents Eugene and Rose Silas from Aneth, Utah.

And they are all excited about Tyler's accomplishments.

"I'm really proud of him," Lucinda said. "I think he's setting an example, not only for our community, Native people, but also for his sisters. All of them love the water.

"I'm really proud of him," she said. "I just love going to watch him swim even if I get nervous sometimes."

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