We haven’t been in school much lately, but it’s near the end of the semester. I’ve liked all my classes so far, especially physics. It mixes the two things I like – math and science, which I’ve found very interesting. Calculus, surprisingly, is probably my second favorite class right now. I’m struggling in English, but I’m getting through, trying to hold that A, well an A minus right now.
On the swimming side, everything is going well. Soon we’ll have districts and then regionals, and hopefully I’ll make it to states. Last year I got two seconds at states, in the 100 free and 50 free. The year before that I got two thirds at states, in 500 free and 100 fly. So hopefully this year I’ll get two firsts. Hopefully – that’s the goal. This year I’m probably go to do 50 and 100 free and see if I can get the state records that the senior who beat me last year got. He graduated so hopefully I’ll win it this year. That’s the goal. I’m excited to try and get the record.
Do you have a favorite race?
I like the sprints – 50 and 100 free, 100 fly, occasionally 200 free, all the freestyle and butterfly sprints. I just like swimming. When I was growing up it was between that and football. I’ve been swimming for 12 years, since I was 4. That was when I started competitively swimming. It was summer league. It was 25 free and 25 back. That was it. Now I’m up to 200 fly, the mile – all the long stuff now. I’ve just always liked swimming. I always just liked the way the water feels and it’s a good activity to work everything. You’re not just building strength. You’re building flexibility and stamina. It’s fun.
I hear you have several colleges interested in your swimming career.
I got All-American swimming for my academics, and then I got All-American for swimming in general, for the 50 and 100 free that I won at states last year. I haven’t committed yet but the recruiting process started for me September 1 of this year. That was interesting. It’s all new. It’s a fun process but it gets kind of stressful at times because you have to call these schools at night and think about whether or not you want to go there. Like, I’m stuck between three schools right now: Virginia Tech, UVA and Indiana. So, it’s stressful but it’s fun.
#WeAreVBSchools
