Derek Vines '16 Recruiting Profile

My swimming career started when I was eight years old.  At the time, swimming was more of an activity to fill up my summer.  Now, it has become an important aspect of my life.  One that I hope to pursue from the high school level to the college level.

I have never been able to swim club swim because of the other sports I play and have played.  I use to play baseball and basketball.  I currently play soccer and water polo.  If I was to join club swim, I wish I would've done it earlier in my lifetime.

I first started to become serious with swim when I was 12 when I first won my first high point award for our team and our recreational league meet. I then placed in the county that year.  I was able to do the same when I was 14 as well as breaking team records in the 200 free relay, 50 free, and fly. 

Then going into my freshman year of high school I became a designated free-styler.  I never really swam butterfly.   I only swam 50 free and 100 free.  Our relay claimed 9th at the North Coast Section Swim meet that year.

In my sophomore year I drastically improved my butterfly dropping 8 seconds from my personal best time from my freshman year.  I went into NCS ranked 34th and ended up finishing 24th.  I also placed 28th in the 50 free with a time .4 seconds faster than my freshman year.  My relay claimed 5th at NCS with a time that earned us the second fastest in our schools history, 23rd fastest in NCS history, and tied for 75th in the nation that year allowing me the award of All-American.

I'm a member of the LDS church and the #1 thing they have taught me is have high standards in for myself in athletics, morals, beliefs, and academics. That way I have been able to earn numerous awards from schools I have attended for academic, artistic, and other reasons.  I also earned my Eagle Scout award this year in December (2013).  I've been able to maintain a 4.0 gpa or higher since 7th grade.  It drives me insane when I don't have straight A's because I know I'm capable of achieving them.

The most important aspect that you should know about me is that I'm a very determined and self-motivating person.  I'm always striving to improve myself; both in and out of the pool.  I know that life is like a game and you have to be above average in order to make it great.