Alison "Ali" Wright '27 Recruiting Profile

The prospect of having the opportunity to represent a college or university on the school’s swim team is a continual source of motivation and inspiration for me. I am excited to find a team that offers a fun, positive and supportive environment; a team that becomes a second family of sorts within my larger collegiate experience, and teammates with whom I make lifelong friendships and memories. 

As a swimmer, my desire to constantly improve propels me to always give 100 percent both in and out of the water, whether at practices or meets. I thrive when I train with teammates who share my joie de vivre for swimming, and life in general. I am not afraid of setting big goals and working really hard toward them––I am confident that my fastest swims are still ahead of me. While developing as a swimmer, I find that incorporating focused, constructive feedback from my coaches has been invaluable as I work toward achieving my training and performance goals. 

As a student, I bring the same focus, discipline, excellence, and joy to learning and to the classroom that I bring to the pool. Currently, I enjoy all subjects, but have a special interest in science and math. I have honed my primary-source research, inquiry, and presentation skills by taking my learning outside of the classroom and creating several award-winning projects for National History Day. These extra-curricular research projects are above-and-beyond my day-to-day school work, and have given me the opportunity to study topics of personal interest. My most recent project explores the impact of Coach Jim Ellis and the PDR swim team on diversity in the sport of swimming. 

Outside of school and the pool, playing the cello, composing music and photography allow me the opportunity to unwind and find balance within the demands of an intense academic and athletic schedule. 

I was extremely fortunate to be exposed to swimming at a very young age. The skills, confidence, and most importantly, joy that swimming has brought to my life are beyond measure. My appreciation for that is why I feel it is incredibly important for me to “swim it forward” and help others find their own happiness and confidence through swimming. I’ve enjoyed teaching local kids to swim, volunteering as a coach for a local YMCA Special Olympics team, and organizing fundraisers to provide free swim lessons for inner city youth.