Whitney Johnson '20 Recruiting Profile

Swimming at the collegiate level has always been my goal.

I was swimming even before I could walk, and I began swimming competitively when I was only five years old. As an age group swimmer I swam short course, long course, and I was on a summer club team. I competed in the Missouri Valley All Star and Zones teams alongside amazing athletes, including some that are now on the olympic team. Competing and succeeding at a young age was all the inspiration and motivation I needed to keep moving forward in my sport. 

I am a junior at North Kansas City High School, I am the captain of my team, and I hold the school record for the 50 free style (25.32). I have competed at our State championship meet all three years, and this year I placed 9th in my 100 butterfly. That PR time of 59.59 also gave me my first sectional cut, and this year I competed in the 2019 Central Section Championships. 

Swimming on a close-knit team pushes me to swim harder. It is an amazing feeling to be the one that makes the difference on relays; somehow I swim faster when I am doing it for my team! Having a group of other likeminded, dedicated, and hard working student athletes is a great environment to be in. I honestly can't picture my life without swimming. 

I also keep myself challenged academically. I am enrolled in the Gold Medallion program at school. I take Honors, AP, and college level classes. I will have over 100 volunteer hours at our local library by the end of this summer, and will start an internship in the fall. My strengths are science and math. I plan to study environmental science with an emphasis in marine biology because I have a love for the water.

I want to succeed both in the pool and outside the pool in college.  Finding the right team that will help me reach my athletic dreams is as important as finding the right fit academically, one that will ultimately move me forward in the right career path.