Ky-lee Perry Makes Most of DC Trident Relay Role With Epic Anchor Swim in ISL Debut

Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu/ISL

When Ky-lee Perry walked on the pool deck for her International Swimming debut, just being there was a huge accomplishment.

From a personal standpoint, Perry had fulfilled a dream of becoming a professional swimmer. From a swimming standpoint, the ISL fulfilled its goal of being able to put on a safe second season amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Swimming for the DC Trident, Perry made a splash in what made her such a dangerous competitor at NC State — the relays.

Perry thrived leading the Wolfpack on relays and wasted no time making her relay mark for the DC Trident. Being in the ISL was a huge consolation to Perry losing her senior NCAA championships to COVID-19.

In her first swim, she led off the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay and the Trident finished second.

But it was her second relay swim that left a lasting impression on teammates. Perry anchored the 4×100 mixed freestyle relay, helping the Trident win their first ever relay in ISL competition, teaming with Zach Apple, Robert Howard and Margo Geer to finish in 3:18.82.

Perry’s split was 53.13, the second fastest anchor split in the field, as the London Roar and the Aqua Centurions desperately tried to close in before Perry got her hand on the wall first, sealing the historic victory for the DC Trident.

Ky-lee Perry. Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu/ISL

“Whenever I’m an anchor on a relay, I tend to scope the field,” Ky-lee Perry told Swimming World. “I take into account where we are and focus on what I can do to either maintain the place we are in or move up in placement. For this specific relay, I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself, so I took a deep breath and enjoyed the feeling of raving again. After watching all of my teammates race in front of me, it was finally my turn. Watching it unfold and being able to bring my team home was such an amazing feeling.”

Perry knew she was going to be a relay specialist in her ISL debut but wasn’t sure where she would be in either of the relays, making her anchoring experience all the more special.

“Going into the first match of the season, I knew I was going to be a relay-only person, due to the fact that it was my first ISL meet and I didn’t know what to expect structure wise,” she said. “The meet is pretty fast-paced, so instead of overwhelming me with individual and relay events, they wanted me to get some exposure through the relays. When they approached me about the mixed relay, I told them that I was ready to go and I was feeling fast. They had so much faith in me that they chose to anchor me. I was so honored to be a part of that relay.”

Perry felt at home with a team in the Trident’s bright red, just like her college days at NC State. There were other similarities Perry picked up on as well.

“One thing I knew and loved about DC Trident is that they always bring the intensity, like NC State Swim & Dive team,” Ky-lee Perry said. “The atmosphere was insane both days of the meet. No matter who you were or what events you were doing, we all came together to cheer each other on. I remember stepping up on the blocks and hearing them chant my name. I knew what I had to do and I couldn’t wait for the moment when I could dive in and make my team proud.”

DC Trident during Ky-lee Perry’s swim. Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu/ISL

GM Kaitlin Sandeno and the rest of the Trident team when wild when Perry touched the wall first, which will be a lasting memory for Perry, who was just happy to be swimming at all.

After graduating from NC State, Perry wasn’t sure if she was going to get a call from an ISL team. The pandemic continued to keep Perry from her training routine in the water, making everything a little uncertain.

“Being a professional athlete during a pandemic has been challenging for many different reasons. When you’re an athlete training for any specific event, whether that be a meet or game, you need consistency. You need to have a set schedule for when you’ll be training (practicing and lifting) or else you’ll get out of shape,” Perry said. “At the beginning of the pandemic, all facilities were closed, so many people around the world weren’t able to train for months. Once places started opening up, it was still hard to have a consistent schedule where you’d be able to build and maintain your workouts. After months out of the pool, I was lucky enough to join Wolfpack Elite. I got to work one on one with my coach, Braden Holloway, to figure out where I needed to start and how I would build back up to where I used to be. It was a long few months, but I was able to train consistently and for that I was thankful.”

Then it was just a waiting game to see when she would race again and if the ISL season would happen.

“I think a lot of us thought that the ISL League wouldn’t happen this year due to safety and health reasons during the pandemic, but once everything was finalized and we were all packing our bags, it finally became real that we would have a chance to race again,” Ky-lee Perry said. “I can’t speak for everyone else, but I know I was a little nervous to see how it would all play out. However, the ISL has been doing an amazing job keeping us all safe and healthy in the bubble.

“My first professional meet, under these circumstances, has been a great experience so far and I can’t wait to continue this journey.”

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