McSorley Siblings Don't Have to Look Far for Competition

Kelly McSorley has competed against the best swimmers the Colonial Conference has to offer during her four-year career at West Deptford High School. As a 200 IM swimmer, McSorley can successfully execute every key style of swimming and is happy to take on all comers.

This year, she found her biggest challenger yet—her brother.

Freshman Matt McSorley made an immediate impact for the Eagles this season, emerging as one of the team’s top freestyle sprinters. He’s also quickly found a familiar rival.

“He’s my biggest competition,” Kelly said.

Because of the three-year gap in their age, the siblings rarely raced against each other competitively, but that changed when Matt came out for the swim team this year. As West Deptford competes as a co-ed team, Matt and Kelly were suddenly vying for lanes.

“We’ve been swimming since we were really young and have swum for Green-Fields, but I’m 18 and he’s 15 so we were never swimming against each other. Now we are in high school together and sometimes will be in the same race.”

Who wins those races? Well, it depends who you ask and even then, there’s always accusations of foul play.

“A lot of times in practice they will race each other in a 25 or 50 (meter race) and they will just go right at it,” West Deptford senior Jack Baldwin said. “One will win some and the other will some. It’s pretty cool to watch.”

The siblings don’t race against each other too much these days, and for good reason.

“We have tried racing each other individually and it doesn’t turn out too good,” Kelly said with a laugh. “If one wins then its like, ‘Oh, well you cheated.’ It’s not good so we decided not to do that anymore.”

“It gets heated,” admitted Matt.

Matt and Kelly both inherited the passion and skills for the sport from their father Michael McSorley, who was an elite swimmer at Gateway.

“Our dad was a really, really good simmer,” said Kelly. “He won states and went to nationals so it’s pretty cool. He’s probably the main reason we do it.”

“Swimming’s a big part of our family,” Matt said. “We love it and have been doing it for years.”

This season has been a special one for the McSorley clan. The Eagles have a winning record and both Matt and Kelly have qualified for swimming’s version of sectionals. Kelly and Matt hope the final stretch of the season provides great memories since it will be a one-time deal, with Kelly set to graduate in the spring.

“It would be great if we had a special season,” Kelly said. “There’s nothing more you could ask for.”

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