SLIPPERY ROCK — For Katie Antal and Abby Parsons, it's an easy answer when it comes to what they like most about swimming.

“Everything,” they replied without hesitation.

The Slippery Rock natives are part of a growing interest in the sport, which has been aided by what their coach calls the best kept secret in town.

The Slippery Rock Eels is a developmental swimming program which is affiliated with Allegheny Mountain and USA Swimming. Antal, 15, and Parsons, 13, are two of the top swimmers in what is rapidly becoming a very competitive team.

Despite being at a disadvantage in numbers, the Slippery Rock girls placed 10th out of 33 teams at the Allegheny Mountain Junior Olympics, held July 22-24. The boys finished 18th of 31.

It was tough for the Eels to match up to the depth of other clubs, but some of the individual efforts were on par — or better — with the best in the region.

Antal advanced to the Eastern Zone Super Sectionals in Pittsburgh, which began on Thursday and runs through the weekend. It features the brightest swimmers in this quarter of the country.

Parsons was one of five Eels to move on to the Eastern Zone meet for younger swimmers. That competition will take place next weekend. She'll be joined by Matyi Kovacs (14), Devin Javens (12) and Emma McDermott (10). Madelyn Lauther (11) is another gifted athlete, but narrowly missed the cut for the Eastern Zone meet.

Much of the club's progress can be attributed to the work ethic of the athletes involved. However, head coach Dr. Istvan Kovacs has also been instrumental to the improvement.

Kovacs is a professor in the physical education department at Slippery Rock University. Eight years ago, he moved to America from Hungary, where he was a top-notch track and field athlete and eventually a coach of multiple national champions.

He took the helm of the Slippery Rock Eels program three years ago and turned a recreational environment into a year-long program to get the very best out of its swimmers. Once the Eels became affiliated with USA Swimming, the athletes had the opportunity to let their talents take them as far as they please.

Antal, who finished 18th in the 100-meter breaststroke at Super Sectionals on Thursday and will swim in the 200 breast on Sunday, is nearing a national-qualifying time and is just three seconds short of earning her way to the Olympic trials in the 100.

“These kids don't have limitations. They can do anything they want,” explained Kovacs. “You can accomplish a lot of good things in a small program, and that's what I encourage.

“What a beautiful accomplishment (Olympic trials) would be for her, for the team, for this community,” he added. “I see the chance. I actually see a really good chance.”

Antal didn't weigh in on her chances, but she did voice her desire — the characteristic that has continued to get the most out of her talent.

“I would really like to get to the Olympics,” Antal said. “That would be a dream come true.”

Antal was a freshman at Slippery Rock High School this past year and took second in District 10 in the 100 breast. She moved on to the Class AA PIAA championships and claimed ninth in the state. At the Allegheny Mountain Junior Olympics, Antal was second in the 100 breast, but was the only girl under the age of 18 to finish in the top four and the fifth- and sixth-place finishers were 17.

“Katie is fantastic at goal-setting and going after that goal. It's hard to find,” said Kovacs.

Parsons is also making quite a splash, though, and her goals are lofty, as well.

“I want to improve my breaststroke and I want to improve my backstroke and try to get a national time,” said Parsons.

Antal has served as a role model for teammates and her passion for the sport has become contagious.

“I can count on my one hand how many swimmers we've lost in three years because of motivation. They stay here,” said Kovacs. “They give more and more time to this sport. We are growing, growing, growing. We are at the point as a team where we have to provide more for these swimmers.”

Kovacs, who has a doctorate in biomechanics, would like to dedicate more time to his squad, but he must pull off a balancing act with his work at the university.

“One of the challenging things is how to provide these kids with more practices that I don't have time to do,” he said.

“We have our limitations, obviously, because this is a small town,” Kovacs continued. “But we have facilities. We have resources.”

Those resources include a group of dedicated athletes with the parental support to back them up.

“(The kids) have outstanding work ethic. These boys and girls are like miniature professional athletes,” Kovacs said. “And when they're in the pool, they look like champions.

“The families are stepping up,” he added. “There are more and more families involved and supporting the program.”

The Slippery Rock Eels has been in the community since 1978, but when Kovacs took over, only a small group of swimmers wanted to commit to year-round competition. That has changed, though, and with the Slippery Rock High swim program on the rise, the Eels figure to aid the Rockets' resurgence.

“What we have here in this little town is a year-round program. And that program benefits the high school team,” said Kovacs. “Our best swimmer (Antal) was a freshman on the team this past year and there are more swimmers coming up.

“If they keep working like this, they can be state champions. As a team, I believe this high school has a future in swimming.”

Opposing coaches at the Allegheny Mountain Junior Olympics were complimentary of the Eels' noticeable strides. Kovacs hopes to develop his athletes to the point where it becomes impossible not to acknowledge the squad.

“They found a sport that they are very gifted in. They can go all the way. It's a question of how we can support them as a team,” Kovacs said. “This is probably the best kept secret here. I believe in Slippery Rock, this is the highest quality swim program of all.”