Gina Smith '26 Recruiting Profile

Ever since I could walk, I could swim. Swimming on different teams and at different schools, taught me how to appreciate and respect my coaches and teammates, and how to be supportive, kind, reliable, and dedicated. I have lived in many places, including Kenya, Switzerland, Bahrain, Guam, and a few other US states, which helped develop my mindset and experience things most people never get to. It helped teach me about different cultures, living situations, and how to be humble, caring, and grow my awareness, which is important in today's society. Moving every 2-3 years because of my dad's career was never easy, however, I always look on the bright side. For one, it has made me love and appreciate swimming more, always having a swim family that I can bond, learn with, and compete against, which is what I'm looking for in a college swim team. Since I moved to Florida, swimming took a turn for the better. I have experienced many Florida Age Group Swim meets, high school swimming, making an individual event at states as a  9th grader, and an abundance of other amazing meets with very fast swimmers. I was also selected to attend the USA Regional Diversity Select camp at UMBC which provided me the opportunity to experience USA Swimming camps. I am a competitive person and I recognize there is always room for improvement in and out of the water. However, my competitiveness never interferes with my sportsmanship. I support other swimmers and help them grow in their own swim journey. I always enjoy swimming and working out and it has become a major part of my life. A goal that I have for swimming is to try different things out of my comfort zone and execute everything to the best of my abilities. I want to try new things that might not work out the first time but keep an open mind.

Academically, math and science have always been my strong suit. My interest in learning about medical professions was always there but became prominent in my 8th-grade bio class during a dissection. Although it might sound gross, it was definitely a learning experience and something that was a step forward in the right direction to doing something I am passionate about. I truly aspire to have a job that makes a huge impact on people's lives and aid them to become happier and healthier. I'm looking to balance swimming and school, to set me up for the future but also want to flourish the talent that I have for swimming.