Alexei Vinson '23 Recruiting Profile

I am a hardworking and determined person who loves to swim. I began competitive swimming in 2016 when I moved to El Paso, TX. Joining the El Paso Aqua Posse, I quickly realized that swimming was a fun, yet a challenging sport. I worked very hard, attending all practices, increasing strength, and building a competitive mindset to achieve the goals that I had set for myself. After doing this for three years, I qualified for Zones! This was a huge accomplishment for me – achieving my goal. Zones is the best meet I have gone to so far. I made some of my best times and made great friends.

I got in the habit of setting goals because of my family. We have a book to write down our goals every year and develop a plan to achieve these goals. Additionally, I encourage my teammates to set goals and I try to motivate them during a hard practice. I remind them to keep pushing hard during a brutal set. Even if it is something small, such as keep up the good work or reassuring them they can keep up on the last round, I always take the time to build the team. Being a teammate is not just working with someone. It is a bond between teammates when they struggle through the same pain together, whether it is going to mourning practice or going through a horrific set. It is also being there for them, supporting them, and pushing them to the limits to make them better. As a team we are always stronger together.