Travis Swanson '17 Recruiting Profile

   I have always relied on my drive to improve at everything I do -  as a student, athlete, and as a citizen.  I am a competitor; I always fight until the end. Even when loss seems inevitable, I expend every ounce of energy and power within me to give my team a shot. This work ethic extends beyond the football field. I’m actively giving back to the community, whether it be setting up a rodeo for kids with special needs, babysitting the children of survivors of domestic violence, or walking dogs at the Animal Shelter. I am also a teen intern with the Advocates for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. I always try to put other people’s needs before my own.

     I am a 6’2”, 225 pound junior from Wood River High School, which is in Hailey, Idaho. Throughout my high school career, I have earned a 4.1/4.0 GPA and intend to continue to raise my GPA above perfect in the next two years. Mixed in with my academics, I have played and started on my school’s varsity football team for one year, the varsity basketball team for one year, and the varsity lacrosse team for two years. Despite the fact that I start on three separate varsity sports, football remains my passion.

     As a senior in high school, I know I have not yet reached my full potential. Each morning, I wake up at 6:00 a.m. and attend a weight lifting and leadership zero-hour class. After school, barring an early basketball practice, I go to my school gym and weight/speed train. In the spring, I have to speed train after lacrosse practice because practice begins immediately after school. Then, the most important off-season time for me is summer, in which I work out with the team twice a day every day for a total of 3.5 hours of training. In between trainings, I usually get together with my team’s quarterback and run routes. All this training is to help me in reaching my athletic goals for this season. For my senior year of football, I am striving to be a team captain again, to be 1st team all-conference and 1st team all-state, and to lead my team to a conference championship and a second round playoff game. 

     When people think about playing collegiate football, they only consider playing Division I. However, I’m open to any division. As long as I can continue doing what I love, I will be ecstatic. I am seeking for an institution with a good balance of academics and athletics. A good classroom and high academic level is immensely important to me. I am pursuing a profession in Sports Medicine or Orthopedics. Even so, I will be considering many other majors. Size and location of a school is less important to me than academic environment.

     If I were to play on a collegiate football team, I would offer the team an exemplary student who understands that academic excellence and civic responsibility precede athletic achievement. I learned this lesson from my parents (who serve as teachers, coaches, and community volunteers) and from my sister who is currently a Division I track athlete at Tulane University and maintains a double major and a 4.0 GPA.  For me, excellence in all endeavors is the most reliable litmus test of strength and my commitment to hard work extends to all areas. I also expect this from my teammates and will lead by example and by mentorship to reinforce this principle.