Century relay star has eyes set on a fifth straight trip to state
Dec. 9—ROCHESTER — Nothing gets Nate Kram pumped up to swim fast like preparing for a relay.
The Century senior has shown the ability to swim fast on his own, but he seems to find another gear when he is racing with his teammates.
Kram and boys swimmers and divers across the state are getting set to open the 2023-24 season. Century should be in the mix to repeat as the Big Nine Conference and Section 1, Class 2A meet champion.
"I'm really excited for it," Kram said of his senior season. "We have a great group of guys this year and are looking forward to doing some great things."
Kram is one of two returning All-State swimmers for the Panthers and one of eight who earned All-Big Nine Conference honors.
"He's been on the relay teams that qualified for state and he's been a really important part of the section and conference champion teams," Century coach Linda Freeman said of Kram.
Kram has been a state qualifier each of the past four years, starting when he was an eighth-grader, and each state berth was as a member of a relay. He excels in the 50 freestyle and swims that leg in both the 200 freestyle relay and the 200 medley relay.
"He just lives for the relays," Freeman said. "That's what he's kind of a specialist in and that's when he goes his fastest."
Kram said having great teammates around him has helped him reach his goal of earning a state berth in relays. He also enjoys the camaraderie of racing with his teammates.
"Relays are just fun because it's not just me swimming in events, it's me and three other people who get to race at the same time," Kram said.
Freeman said that Kram is "very team oriented" so it is no surprise that he was selected as one of the Panthers' captains by his teammates for the upcoming season.
While Kram enjoys relays, he has been able to produce very strong swims on his own. Last year he won the 50 freestyle at the Big Nine Conference meet.
"I'd say it's my favorite event," Kram said. "It's just a fast-paced event and an all-out sprint."
He said precision is a big factor in success or failure in the 50 freestyle, the shortest event in high school swimming meets.
Kram has found a comfort zone in swimming the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke as his individual events. He has been swimming both events at the Big Nine and Section 1-2A meets for the past four seasons.
And while he has excelled in relays, one thing missing from Kram's career resume is an individual state berth. He would love nothing more than to earn an individual state berth as a senior. A year ago he placed fifth in the 50 freestyle at the Section 1-2A meet and he was sixth in the 100 breaststroke.
"Absolutely, that's been my goal every year," he said.
Freeman wouldn't be surprised if Kram was able to earn that individual state berth this season.
"He's got a lot of different avenues he can pursue," she said. "He's really dialed in this year to have a great senior year."
Kram comes from a swimming family. His older sister, Morgan, who is now a senior in college, is a former swimmer for Century. And his younger sister, Addison, was a sophomore on this year's Century girls team.
Kram competes in club swimming during the fall. In the spring he plays lacrosse for Century as a defenseman. He has been doing both since he was in elementary school.
"They help each other, the cardio is very big in both of them," he said.
Kram says he enjoys both sports equally. But would he rather score a goal in lacrosse or win a race in swimming?
"It just depends what meet it is for winning an event," he said.
