At first glance, senior Elaina Peloquin and sophomore Nolan Peloquin might not seem to have many similarities, aside from their last name. However, they share one thing in common: a love for the water. 

Elaina, a senior swimmer, and Nolan, a first-year diver, compete in their respective sport side by side. Although there can be a world of difference between their specific abilities and skills, a kinship is felt, even more so as siblings.

“It’s been a cool connection since we were young because I taught Nolan how to swim. Even though we’re both relatively new to swimming and diving competitively, he’s using what I taught him in his own sport,” Elaina Peloquin said.

Swimming together has only strengthened their bond and allowed them to enjoy new similarities and create shared experiences.

“We get along pretty well, for siblings at least, and we enjoy each other’s company,” said Nolan Peloquin. “Being able to be at the pool at the same time and both do something we enjoy that share similarities is pretty cool.”

Although they see quite a lot of each other at the pool, their sports aren’t the same which allows them a few benefits. They can accompany each other but still talk about the unique intricacies of their sport without any deep-seated rivalries or jealousy

“He wants me to try diving, and I want him to try swimming competitively but both of us refuse to do that,” Elaina Peloquin said. “The nice thing about not doing the exact same sport is that it doesn’t feel like he’s copying me since he does dive – it’s his own thing.”

Despite growing up together in the pool, this pair of siblings was able to discover two individual sports that catered to their personal expertise.

“Even though Elaina helped encourage me to start diving, I found my own passion for my sport because I liked parkour and flipping in my trampoline,” Nolan Peloquin said. “Diving was the perfect sport. It’s always been something I was eager to try.”

Similarly, Elaina discovered a love for swimming in her own way.

“I joined the Liberty Swive (swim and dive) team with a friend during freshman year. She thought it’d be fun to try. I grew to love it, and I wanted to continue doing it,” Elaina Peloquin said.

Although they discovered and cultivated their passions in their own, separate ways, that camaraderie encouraged and continues to encourage them toward improvement. A friendly sibling competition goes a long way as a motivator.

“The fact that we share a similar sport makes me want to be better than him. Like it’s two different things, but I still want to be better at swimming than he is at diving,” Elaina Peloquin said. 

Outside looking in, it can seem like a recipe for disaster to have close family compete together, but the Peloquins understand that underneath is unconditional love and the singular backing that only a sibling can give.

“Like between most siblings, there’s a bit of competition in almost everything we do. The nice thing is that you always know that under that there is pure support and that you are both always rooting for the other to succeed,” Nolan Peloquin said.

Their own, unique sibling dynamic has also contributed to how they’ve progressed while competing in these sports together. As the older sibling, Elaina has been resolute in cheering Nolan on in his first year of diving, attending all of his meets and keeping track of his highest scores.

“She’s been really encouraging of me while I pursue this new interest of mine. I believe it’s been effective in helping me improve – to know there is someone rooting for me,” Nolan Peloquin said.

Both brother and sister have felt closer to each other through this sport and have discovered a new form of understanding and moral support that has only served to strengthen their bond.

“Since I’m going off to college it feels like something I can leave to him,” Elaina Peloquin said. “Almost a kind of special connection between us.”