Ethan Smith '20 Recruiting Profile

Swimming has taught me a lot.  Swimming, to me, is about progression and committing to the process of improving, with all the ups and downs.  I have been swimming competitively since I was nine years old and throughout that time I have learned that consistent effort, persistence, ownership and hard work are keys to achieving your goals.  I wasn’t a “10 & under wonder” or for that matter, a “12 or 14 and under wonder”.  The experience I’ve gained through competition has enabled me to continually develop my skills at practice.  I feel like I’m just now starting to hit my stride and go to that next level. At Spring Sectionals this year I made my first USA Swimming Winter Junior Nat cut in the 200 fly to go along with my USA Swimming Futures cuts in the 100 fly and 400 IM.  My coach has a saying, “Work hard for the person next to you”.  I think about that saying everyday at practice and that has made my teammates and me better. We push one another, cheer for one another and strive to be better people in and out of the pool. There is so much more I want to achieve, in the pool, in the classroom and in life. I believe in the process and I am looking forward to elevating my swimming to continue working towards my goals and contributing to helping my next team in college reach its goals as well.