Anna Fonda '22 Recruiting Profile

Every day, my sister returned home from swim practice beaming with joy. I anxiously awaited her detailed explanation of what her coach had them do that day. My parents quickly realized I belonged in swimming, alongside my sister. From that moment forward, I absolutely loved it; the competitive culture that was intertwined in such a close-knit community is something you rarely come along. A place where I could show my extremely outgoing self and continue to meet new people. I began swimming for my sister and now I am happy to say she is not the only person that I consider family on my swim team.

Swimming has not only allowed me to meet many of my closest friends, it has also shown me my true self. I have always been one to strive for extreme goals; in school, specifically, I have pushed myself to maintain a 4.0 through my first three years of high school and will hopefully continue that throughout my last year in high school. However, goals in school can be overwhelming and I don’t think I could have been able to thrive under this pressure without my escape of swimming. Swimming gave me something to turn to when my brain became mush during Midterms or Finals weeks. In addition, I can combine my goal-setting habits in a more rewarding and carefree environment. Every best time, in practice or meets, is exhilarating; I find myself recalling this feeling whenever I question why I swim. All in all, swimming gives me an extremely positive  outlet for my stress, while still allowing me to constantly push myself.