Austin Shih '20 Recruiting Profile

Swimming has always been a significant influence on my life. It has taught me essential life skills, such as commitment, hard-work, discipline, and focus. However, I found that it wasn't my success or awards that influenced me the most; it was my failures. During summer 2018, I wasn't able to drop any time during the whole LC season. Every swim I had made me less motivated to continue swimming. But through my parents and teammates, I was able to shift my mind into a more constructive mindset and proceeded to qualify for finals at the 2019 TN State Championships in February. This obstacle ultimately unlocked a part of me that I never knew I had. I found a new motivation to become better than I was the previous season and work even harder to achieve the goals I set at the beginning of the year.

Ever since I've been swimming competitively at the age of 12, I knew that I wanted to continue swimming at the college level. It has been my goal to find a college where I can not only be academically challenged and pursue my major but also to compete athletically at the highest level possible. In a team environment, I find myself to be communicative and motivating to my teammates around me. I bring a higher level of expectation at practice and encourage others to compete with me as we continue to get better and achieve our goals. My motive in life is to help others in any way I possibly can. If it's doing simple favors or helping others emotionally, I am all for it. I want to create an impact on those around me and create a positive environment in which we can grow as a team.