Quinn De Graaf '20 Recruiting Profile

I have tried other sports but seem to always end up in the water.  I love to swim and enjoy the pressure of competition.  My goal is to compete at the highest level in swimming and afford myself an opportunity at a tremendous education.  Swimming has opened many doors and has allowed me to compete abroad:  in places like Taiwan and Lithuania where I swam at the International Children's Games and represented my home City of Windsor.  

When I was seven years old, I suffered a severe injury.  I was put into a coma for two weeks until I was stable.  When I woke up, I spent the next six months in recovery learning how to walk,  write,  talk and to get my coordination back again.  My parents introduced me to competitive swimming in order to improve my strength and confidence.   I am resilient and because of my perseverance and work ethic, I have become one of the better age group swimmers in Canada. I do not quit when I am faced with obstacles in my path.  I strive to improve and I believe that I have barely touched the surface of my athletic potential.   I am team player and encourage my team members to excel.  I come to the pool with a positive attitude.   

I'm currently enrolled in the academic stream at my high school and I am heavily involved in the sciences.  I continue to work hard to ensure that my grades are competitive amongst my peers.  I'm very excited to continue my education in the health sciences field when I attend university.  

I know that the USA schools give athletes an opportunity to continue pursuing their academic and athletic dreams.  I believe that my perseverance, hard work and commitment to my education will allow me to succeed and enjoy my college experience.