Competitive Swimmer

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As a competitive swimmer, I train 19 hours a week as a member of the University of Manitoba Bison’s Men’s Swim Team. However, growing up, I was never a great swimmer. I just didn’t have the classic swimmer body type—tall, long limbs with big hands and feet—but I loved the sport. Looking back, I can imagine how my parents felt. Their short, scrawny kid desperately wanted to be in a sport that he wasn’t meant for. They put me in swimming lessons, and I kept wanting to go back, over and over. Eventually, they put me in competitive swimming, on the Manitoba Marlins, when I was around 12, a fairly late age to enter competitive swimming. Many of the kids that I was swimming with had been on the team since they were 6 or 7. I showed up ready to have some fun, and was absolutely crushed by everyone. I went home devastated and crying, never wanting to swim again. I can vividly remember my parents sitting down and telling me that I could quit now, or I could work every day to follow my passion. …show more content…

I was never the best swimmer, but I certainly worked hard, and had the most fun doing it. When it came time to apply to University, I didn’t have the times to qualify for the University team. However, my old coach put in a good word about my work ethic and improvement, and as a result I was on the team. Once again, through dedication, I am now set to graduate as a 4th year Bison Athlete. This dedication and hard work extends beyond sport—I’ve maintained a GPA above 4.0 (4.09 unadjusted; 4.13 adjusted) and have been honored as Academic All-Canadian each

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