Kaitlyn Hopp '18 Recruiting Profile

My name is Kaitlyn Hopp.  I am a Junior at Downers Grove South High School.  I have been a member of the varsity swim team for three years.  As a young child, I loved being in the water.  My parents enrolled me in swimming lessons and loved it.  I began swimming competitively at the age of 8 with Hornet Swim Club and I still swim with the club today.  Swimming with the team has been very important to me.  Being a competitive swimmer is hard work.  It takes physical strength, endurance, dedication, and good time management skills.  

The amount of time I have spent in the pool over the years has been extensive, but I have loved every minute of it.  The close relationships that I have with my teammates is one of the things I love most about being on the team.  I often think of them as a second family.  I also really enjoy the opportunity to serve as a role model for the younger members of the team.  In fact, I have been complimented by both coaches and parents on my dedication and attention to the younger swimmers on our team.

In addition, I have learned many things through my swimming career.  I have learned the importance of hard work and believing in myself. I have learned to set goals and how to work to achieve them.  Swimming has taught me how to be a good, supportive teammate and helped my build self-confidence.

As I think about what is next, I can't imagine not having swimming in my life.  I would like to continue my swimming career at a small or mid-size college, where I can exceed both academically and as an athlete.  I would like to join a team that is a close knit group and supports one another to reach our goals.  I am not certain what education specialty I will pursue just yet, but I really believe it will involve working with children in some way.

My parents and swim coaches have served as great role models for me over the years.  I would like to work with a coach who can help me continue to build my talents both in and out of the pool.  Please let me know if you feel I could be a good fit for your team.