Nicolas Noto '20 Recruiting Profile

    Athletics have been an outlet for me since middle school. When I initially joined the track team at Crestwood Middle School (which had been my first experience with sports), I discovered that I had natural endurance and a love for competition. This came as a surprise, as I had always been put off from sports due to my Autism, which I was diagnosed with at a young age. However, rather than having my disability hinder the beginning of my athletic career, I began to strive and build confidence and a competitive drive. Later, when my mother decided to put me in a Recreation Center Swim League, I saw instantly that I had a natural affinity to swimming. With my tall body and high endurance, it seemed truly natural.

    Consequently, I've been swimming for the past four years and have grown exponentially as an athlete, and as a person due to it. As I am now a Junior in high school and am looking toward my future, I have begun to consider what I truly aspire to be as I enter early adulthood. To begin with, I've always taken pride in my ability to balance different aspects of my life, and I have taken part in numerous extracurricular activities for the entirety of my high school career. Among many others, my key extracurricular achievements have been involvement in school theatrical productions, being chosen to represent my school at a city-wide, student-athlete leadership training excursion, graduating from the Virginia Beach Youth Police Academy, and working as a lifeguard over the summer, all while maintaining multiple AP classes and a rigorous swim practice schedule.

    Of course, the many accomplishments I've made would not be feasible without my unassailable support system. I greatly appreciate many of my teachers throughout the years who managed to spark my love of learning. I appreciate my many track and swim coaches, who taught me discipline and how to find my competitive drive. I am thankful for my friends and teammates, who've helped to constantly build my interpersonal skills and relationship skills. And most importantly, I appreciate my parents, who have always prioritized the security of my future over all else, and who have provided me with the training I need to eventually swim at the college level, which has become a goal of mine in the past year. The best way I could show my fullest gratitude is by taking what each of these people has given or taught me over the years and continue to sharpen these skills at the next level to develop me into a contributing member of society. That is why I am searching for a college experience that can allow me to challenge myself, express myself creatively, make meaningful connections to my peers, and generally allow me to experience everything that life has to offer.