Cony head coach Bob Johnston, left, and assistant coach Gabby Low record times after the girls 200-yard medley relay during a swim meet against Gardiner/Hall-Dale and Erskine Academy on Friday at the Kennebec Valley YMCA in Augusta. Low, a former Cony standout who swam for the University of Connecticut, is in her second season as an assistant under Johnston. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

AUGUSTA — Of all the things Gabby Low envisioned in her swim career, a trip back to the Kennebec Valley YMCA was not one of them.

“No, it definitely wasn’t,” Low said with a laugh.

Six years removed from a swim career at Cony that included state and conference records — as well as back-to-back Class A team titles for the Rams in 2017 and 2018 — Low is in her second season as an assistant coach for the program under head coach Bob Johnston. On Friday in a tri-meet against Gardiner/Hall-Dale and Erskine Academy, Low was in her element, writing down times, taking swimmers aside and teaching them the finer points of their particular event.

Low, 24, graduated from Cony in 2019 after a strong career under the tutelage of former head coach Jon Millett, with Class A state records in the butterfly and 200 individual medley relay. Low went on to swim at the Division I level with the University of Connecticut from 2019-2022 (which included a lost 2020-21 regular season due to the COVID-19 pandemic). She competed at the 2020 American Athletic Conference Championships, as well as the 2021 Big East Championships.

A back injury ultimately derailed Low’s career in the pool, and while finishing her studies in Storrs, Connecticut, she began coaching a local club team, Storrs Aquatics.

Cony’s Gabby Low breaks the surface from swimming underwater after turning in the 100-yard backstroke at the 2019 KVAC Class A swim meet on at the Bath Area Family YMCA. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal file photo

Low graduated from UConn in 2023. She began to help coach the Rams last season, when fellow Cony alum Nathan Berry — who had a standout college career at Bates College in Lewiston — was also an assistant under Johnston.

“Bob asked me before the season started last year, and at first, I said no, because I was working and wasn’t sure (about coaching),” Low said. “I got a text from Nathan Berry that said Bob asked him and he said yes, and asked if I would do it with him. Then, I was like, ‘OK, this is a sign that I have to do it.’ I love doing high school swim, so it naturally made sense to come back to it.

“It’s been awesome, the kids are great. They’re just so excited to swim. High school swim is just such an amazing experience and environment. Just being a part of it, from the other side, has just been amazing.”

Johnston said Low has made an impact with the team.

“She’s got so many great skills and teachings and things that make (coaching) work for her quite well,” said Johnston, a long-time central Maine coach. “Last year, we were lucky to have (Berry) and Gabby. She gets to work with some of the newer kids, and she’s bringing them up to a (higher) level.”

Cony’s Emily Kennard competes in the girls 100-yard freestyle during a swim meet Friday at the Kennebec Valley YMCA in Augusta. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

Low’s tips and instruction have gone a long way with her swimmers.

“She’s an amazing coach, we’ve always looked up to her,” said Cony senior Emily Kennard. “Even when we were little.”

“She gave me a hug (after a race) and I burst into tears,” Cony senior Lilliana Choate added.

Low was a member of Cony’s last championship team and said she sees similarities in this season’s girls squad.

Though low in numbers, the Rams have a strong contingent back from last season, with Choate, Kennard, fellow senior Annabelle Orth and sophomore Emily Foster competing on relay teams that won Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A titles last season. Orth was a KVAC runner-up in the 100 and 200 freestyles. The team captured the KVAC A girls title with 247 points, holding off Brunswick (233) and Messalonskee (227).

“I think the biggest (similarity) is the camaraderie and the support they have for each other,” Low said. “There’s just always constant support, and that’s what I remember the most from high school swim, knowing that I was out there with my best friends and that, at the end of the day, we all loved and supported each other.

“The biggest thing I want them to take away is to love what they’re doing and have fun. Usually, I’ve found that when people love what they’re doing, ability comes a little more naturally, the passion is just there. That’s something that’s amazing about all these kids. Regardless of the (times) up on the board, at the end of the day, they love what they’re doing.”

Cony’s Anabelle Orth swims the 200-yard freestyle during a swim meet Friday at the Kennebec Valley YMCA in Augusta. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

Low’s life is now consumed with coaching. Not only is she helping the Cony program, but she continues to coach at the club level, now with the Mid-Maine Dolphins, based out of the Waterville Area YMCA. The team is made up of swimmers ranging in age from 7 to 18.

“It’s definitely different, just because club swim and high school swim are two different beasts,” Low said. “I think the beauty of coaching two different teams and individuals is that you learn and it helps you find your groove (as a coach).

“I think about all the coaches I’ve had over all the years I’ve been swimming and the impact they’ve had on me. I just want to give a piece of that, whatever that is. If I can just have five percent impact on a kid, it’s just great.”