Fiona Xue '23 Recruiting Profile

I started swimming competitively 10 years ago, but it wasn’t necessarily by choice. I was forced into it, as were many of the other sports I played as a child, but with my sister competing and excelling at the national level, the last thing I wanted was to have to compete with her level of success. However, as I began to learn more about swimming, the more I fell in love with the sport itself, as well as the people and the environment. Over the years, swimming has taught me more about dedication, perseverance, and pushing my own boundaries more than anything else. That’s why when it came down to choosing one sport to pursue, I undoubtedly chose swimming.

I began seeing my times start to drop around the ages of 11-13. Then, all of a sudden, I hit a growth spurt. Learning to swim in my new body was extremely challenging, and it was definitely frustrating to see my times remain the same, even when all of my teammates who were going through similar situations didn’t struggle nearly as much as me. After failing many times during that season, COVID then came along. As I’m sure many others can attest, the pandemic impacted the sports community tremendously, such that I was unable to train for months. However, as I realize now, COVID allowed me to truly refresh my mind and body, and I eventually found myself missing and anticipating the day in which I’d return to the pool. At first getting back into it was tough, but soon after my times started to drop again, little by little. It finally made me feel like I was taking a step in the right direction, which motivated me to work even harder. Alas, I learned that it’s not always about worrying about the times, but the process of getting there.

If you were to ask my teammates, they’d probably say I’m the one who always shows up to practice, and it’s true. Not only do I show up, but I show up ready to work and to push my boundaries every day. I am fortunate enough to attend 100% of practices most of the time because I am able to balance my schoolwork and manage my time well, as academics are extremely important to me. This is why I am hoping to find a school that would not only challenge me to excel athletically, but academically as well. Currently, I am passionate about pursuing a general sciences or nursing degree. 

Lastly, since I am located in Canada, I have only ever had access to SC and LC facilities. However, I am an avid fan of underwater kicking and would love to have the opportunity to swim SCY in University, as I believe I would excel. Thanks for taking the time to look at my profile!