Willow Larsen '24 Recruiting Profile

"Little Fishy" is the nickname my parents gave me when I was just a toddler because of my love of the water.  I could spend hours on end in the pool and still not want to get out when my parents finally made me!! As I got older it was a natural progression for me to want to join swim team but because I live in a small town "swim team" didn't exist.  Fortunately, my parents found a YMCA program in the neighboring town and we began to make the drive back and forth three nights a week.  The first season I actually competed I knew I loved it! Three nights of driving turned into five nights and then we added on Sunday as well.  The commitment payed off and  I continued to have more success  at the YMCA level but I could see the time standards for USSSA were better and I wanted to see how I could perform against the best.  To do that I had to join a club that was an hour and a half from where I lived. 

 I was motivated to do whatever it took so we started the longer trek three times a week and on the opposite days I worked out by myself locally with my Dad.  It isn't always easy to push yourself when you don't have training partners but I understood that it is what I had to do if I ever hoped to reach the success I wanted to achieve.  Once I was finally in Highschool I was able to join the local Highschool swim team.  Most of the girls in my town had never swam competitively before but I loved the comradery.    I am so excited about the prospect of swimming in college and being part of a team!  I look forward to having teammates and a coach that will help push me on a daily basis to be the best I can be!  I love my small town and I don't regret any of the time sacrifices I had to make to get where I am today but I look forward to being a part of larger swim community that has the same aspirations and level of motivation as me.  I am willing to put in the work and know that I will excel in a team environment and look forward to the contribution I can make!