Lily Malone '25 Recruiting Profile

I started swimming in 3rd grade when I was 8 years old. At first, I just did it as an afterschool activity, but eventually it became something more than just a sport. It became a place for me to go and feel good about myself, a place that I could laugh, work hard, and develop close friendships with girls on my team. As time went on, it felt so good to be part of a team that my teammates became like family. It made me feel so included and loved, and it taught me that working hard and just being myself was the key to success. The swim environment is so positive and has helped me find the people that I truly want to be around. I’m very grateful to have met so many good friends through swim who have helped me through so much in life and hopefully will remain a part of my life for many years to come.

In addition to great friendships, swimming has taught me many valuable life skills. First of all, with the help of great coaches I’ve learned to be very patient with my development and focus on discipline and hard work. When I first started swimming, I got frustrated very frequently with how I was progressing and was constantly comparing myself to other swimmers. My coaches helped me realize that sometimes you just have to be patient and work a little harder to get where you want to be. Seeing myself become faster and finally getting the results I hoped for has improved my approach to swimming and provided me with motivation to keep working hard. As time has gone on, I’ve started swimming more and more. I now swim five days a week and very rarely have time for much else. As a result, I have had to learn how to manage my time efficiently for academics, swim, family, and fun with friends. Doing so requires a lot of discipline, especially as I try to schedule my weeks and still allow free time for myself. Swimming has impacted my life so positively and has taught me many valuable life skills that I am confident will help me throughout my life.