Although she loves swimming now, senior Kim Chrun was terrified of water until the age of 10.

“One day my dad just put my face in the water and that was that,” Chrun said. “After that I joined a junior club and started to excel pretty fast.”

Chrun was a five-time letterwinner in high school, but this year is the first time she has ever been named a team captain. She said she wants to make the most of it.

“There are only 30 days left — not that I’m counting — and I’m just going to enjoy it to the fullest and have fun this last month,” Chrun said. “I think the team just needs to stay positive and place well. These girls have the ability to just swim out of their minds and I think we can do well this last month.”

Chrun said she likes to think of herself as more of someone who leads by example instead of by statistics.

“I’m not really one to stand out during meets because I’m not a major point scorer. I try to be a leader in different ways, like through the student athletic council and through community services,” Chrun said. “During practice, I really work hard and try to keep a positive attitude.”

Teammate and fellow captain Lara Skoog said Chrun isn’t afraid to speak out to help her team.

“I think she leads by example, but she also is kind of a vocal leader of the team,” Skoog said. “She’s kind of the voice of the team because she’s comfortable bringing up issues to the coach. She’s pretty comfortable in that kind of setting.”

Head coach Duane Sorenson said he feels the same way about Chrun.

“She says some things, but she’s not a cheerleader out there,” Sorenson said. “She’s more of a quiet leader, more one-on-one. She talks more to individuals and helps them out.”

Chrun said she feels she’s not mentioned as much in the media because she contributes in a variety of ways.

“I’m not a big standout scoring-wise, but I do my share,” Chrun said. “I’m kind of the goofball and I just try to have a fun time.”

Skoog said that although Chrun doesn’t score a lot of points, her consistency is a key to the team’s success.

“Part of her not getting mentioned is that standouts get mentioned. Kim consistently plays her part. She may not always be a top scorer, but she always places consistently,” Skoog said.

Chrun said being a captain means helping the team prepare for meets both physically and mentally.

“Me and the other team captains try to get together and figure out some way of team bonding,” Chrun said. “That could be making signs, giving a pep talk or even having a team dinner [and] getting our carb loads.”

Chrun said it takes a certain attitude to be a team leader.

“A captain really has to have confidence in herself,” Chrun said. “I also think you have to be people-oriented and not be selfish.”

Sorenson said Chrun really cares about her teammates.

“She will go out of her way to help someone out and she’s always there for them,” he said. “She has a bubbly type of attitude.”

Skoog agreed that Chrun is always willing to talk.

“Kim is very outgoing,” Skoog said. “You can always approach her and she’s someone you can talk to and get advice from, even about other things.”