“The [SMCHS] swim team is truly a community.  Although swim is often thought to be an individual sport where swimmers are mainly competing for themselves, community pervades the [SMCHS] swim team. Everything we do is for the team, from relays to earning points on our individual swims. We are constantly reminded that all our swims have a bigger meaning and a bigger impact on the team and on the school. This truly helps me bond with the other swimmers and know that everything I do has a bigger purpose. Swim has given me the greatest gift of all: the gift of hard work and knowing that hard work can get you anywhere.

“Although it can be daunting doing a lot of difficult classes as well as trying to do well in a sport, the key is balance. You need to find the proper balance between studying the amount that you need to for all your classes and spending enough time in your sport in order to succeed. You must remember that it’s important to take your high school years, have fun, and not just focus on doing well in everything because that can be stressful.”