Eden Smith '21 Recruiting Profile

Helping my summer league team win the Division A PMSL championships when I was 13, along with the other amazing athletes on the team, solidified my love for swimming and for being on a sports team. Frequently that summer, there were teams with fierce competitors I’d raced against in PVS championship meets or whose amazing times I’d seen, and my confidence was shaken. Those times when I needed an extra dose  of  confidence to swim against some league competitors, it was the strength of my team as well as the rooting cheers from my teammates that pushed me to gain many points for the team. That was when I truly gained the passion and drive I have for swimming now. Many people don’t see swimming as a team sport, but when I think of swimming,  I think of the family you gain from every experience you have. I’ve made close friends of competitors, teammates, coaches, and people I just met on the pool deck. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely a more individual satisfaction associated with achieving a personal best time or qualifying for championship meets which provides its own motivation and also propels my passion to swim at the college level. 

In addition to a program that is a good athletic and academic fit for me, I’m looking for a program that really supports its swimmers and allows for a healthy environment that pushes swimmers to achieve their full potential. I believe I have the sportsmanship and work ethic to continue to improve my swimming and consequently the swimming of my teammates; and to be a positive addition to your program.