Personal Statement
Throughout my life water has shaped me to become the person I am today. As water is essential to life, swimming nourishes my desire to be successful. Water is an extremely powerful force. It is fiercely determined to go where it wants to and is not interfered by anything in its path. Similar to water, I have a very driven personality. Every day I am in the pool by 4:30 am, committed to working hard to achieve my swimming goals. Constantly evolving through my training and time in the water, I am being shaped as an individual.
By the age of 16, swim started to become this powerful job and my skills seemed to not evolve at the same rate as all the work I was putting in. I started thinking, “I guess I am not fast enough” or “when will I see improvement?” This was the point in my life when I considered switching swim teams. I still was unsure and felt that I could not leave the team I called family for seven years.
While the thought circulated through my mind, a car accident involving my best friend occurred. It opened my eyes and made me realize I could not sit around waiting to do something. Life had changed in an instant for my family because we lost someone we all cherished. At that moment, I decided to rise and float on top of the water; above the hardships in my life that were sinking me down. I made the choice to switch teams.
Water helps keep me mentally and physically strong, freeing me from life’s impurities and allowing me to maintain a clear focus. While water continually pushes me back and challenges every muscle in my body, it also soothes me and acts as a sort of therapy. Through the hardship with my family, I knew I could count on my new team and practice to free my mind. After a few weeks in this new environment, I started to see positive changes in my swimming abilities.
Just like the water cycle, my swimming abilities are constantly flowing and moving. I am someone who is full of energy, constantly working towards my goals. No matter what happens, I will continue to work hard in order to achieve my goal of swimming in college. Swimming is something that has been with me ever since I can remember. I am very thankful that swimming evolved from my love of water and for the amazing opportunities the sport has given me. I look forward to the next chapter of my swim career and continuing to be inspired and shaped by water.
