Bravense, named 2022-2023 Standard-Times Boys Swimmer of the Year
Kevin Santiago, whose parents are from Brava, named Standard Time swimmer of the year.
Kevin Santiago remembers it like it was yesterday.
With the pandemic in full force, everything had shut down — even the pool at the New Bedford YMCA.
“I had lost motivation,” he said. “One thing I struggled with was COVID. It got me out of the pool for a while. The YMCA was closed and the swim team wasn’t practicing.”
As life slowly returned to normal, Santiago’s passion for the sport also returned.
Santiago capped off his high school career by being named the 2022-23 Standard-Times Boys Swimmer of the Year.
“It was a good and exciting year,” he said. “I knew it was my last year swimming so I wanted to go out pushing and do the best I could.”
Santiago recorded a pair of top 25 finishes at the South Sectional meet, finishing 23rd in the 100 butterfly (58.17) and 25th in the 100 backstroke (personal-best 1:00.83).
Santiago also won the 100 butterfly at the Catholic Central League championship with a personal-best 57.53.
“That was probably the best moment of my swimming career,” he said. “Outside of being a personal best, the entire team crowded the end of the lane and they were cheering me before the race began. I was really pushing to win it not only for myself but also for them.”
As a senior captain, Santiago proved to be a leader in and out of the pool for the Spartans.
“Kevin's impact as a team captain over the past two years has been truly remarkable,” said Bishop Stang head coach Dave Ponte. “He consistently leads by example, inspiring his teammates with his positive demeanor, unwavering work ethic, and relentless drive for excellence. His ability to motivate and unite the team has created a supportive and cohesive environment where every member feels valued and motivated to perform at their best.”
Santiago focused a lot of his attention this year in helping Stang’s younger swimmers.
“With the experience, I enjoyed helping other people that were new to the sport,” he said. “I spent a lot of the season trying to help my teammates with different strokes. As a captain I would help other people enjoy it as much as I did.
“I hope to be remembered for the positivity I brought. I want the kids still swimming to spread positivity and help others.”
ALL ABOUT KEVIN SANTIAGO
WHY HE WAS SELECTED: Santiago not only was a Catholic Central League champion in the 100 butterfly, he also placed in the top 25 in two events at the South Sectional championship.
KEY STATS: He won the 100 butterfly (personal-best 57.53) and was third in the 100 backstroke (personal-best 1:01.21) at the Catholic Central League championship. He also came in 23rd in the 100 butterfly (58.17) and 25th in the 100 backstroke (personal-best 1:00.83) at the South Sectional meet.
MVP MOMENT: Santiago captured his first league championship by swimming a personal-best 57.53 in the 100 butterfly. He also had a personal-best in the 100 backstroke (third; 1:01.21) and swam on Stang’s third-place 200 freestyle relay (24.67 split) and 400 freestyle relay (55.12 split).
NEW BEDFORD COACH TIM CURRY: “You explain something to him and he gets it. When it’s race time, he knows how to race it. He’s an athletic kid.”
NOTES: The 17-year-old Santiago was the salutatorian of Bishop Stang’s Class of 2023. He plans to study computer science in the fall at MIT. “Despite the rigorous demands of training and competition, he has maintained a stellar academic record, ranking second in his class and he will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the fall,” said Bishop Stang head coach Dave Ponte. … Santiago lives in New Bedford. … He competed in both soccer and track during his junior year at Stang. … His sister, Kendra, attends GNB Voc-Tech and runs track and plays soccer for the Bears.
