Payton Horton '17 Recruiting Profile

Swimming first became a part of my life at the age of 7. We moved from England to South Africa when I was six years old. I started learning how to swim the following year and I fell in love with the water. I have been swimming since 2007. I swam for Aquabear Swim Club under Coach Chris Stottelaar from 2008 to 2012. I started at Team Watersmart in 2012 and have been there ever since.

Swimming has played a huge role in my life and has not only helped my physical development but also my mental ability. It has moulded me into a responsible and dedicated person. Swimming has taught me a whole lot. I have learnt that nothing comes easy and that you have to work to see the results you want to see. What you put in is what you get out and this does not necessarily mean that you will see results in the blink of an eye.  You have to keep pushing through those tough times to become a stronger and more experienced athlete because; it is all part of the game.

Other than swimming I have another aspect which is very important to me and that is my academics. I am currently in Grade 11. I attend an IEB school which means that our work is of higher standard than government schools. At the end of Grade 11 and Grade 12 I want to get A’s and B’s for all my subjects and achieve no lower than 72%. I strive to be top 7 for academics and to get my academic honours. At College I would like to study Medicine, Psychology or Chemical engineering (with medicine being at the very top of my list). I want to get my degree and go on to become a paediatrician, psychologist or chemical engineer. I would like to pass with 75%.

Obstacles to me are just a bump in the road of life. I have had to overcome a few obstacles to get where I am today. Most of my obstacles have been injuries which have ranged from broken wrists to broken ankles to scapular winging and tearing of calves and hamstrings. I have gone through a lot of rehab with my injuries and have been able to come out even stronger. My gym work has helped me a lot with my injuries and now I barely have any. I have also had to overcome the obstacle of coach changes. This was just a minor bump in the road but was a very big decision for me and I am glad I followed through with the decision I made.

I strive to become a better swimmer and person through attending college in America and through having the opportunity to pursue my dream.