Rachel Merrifield '22 Recruiting Profile

My name is Rachel Merrifield, a  5’11”, senior in high school, and I have been swimming competitively since I was 12 years old. I joined club swimming the fall before I turned 13 and have been dropping time consistently since then. I immediately fell in love with swimming because I quickly improved drastically and it made me feel like I was contributing a lot to the team. When I was quickly improving, I noticed there were many cut times that were attainable and in sight. Having a specific time that I know I must achieve helps me when racing because it pushes me to reach that goal. I am very driven, and when I have a number in mind, nothing can get in my way from reaching it. I love the accomplishment I feel after I drop time in a race. However, I believe the bad races are more important than the good races because I can learn more lessons from the bad races. For example, my most recent 200 free race, when I didn't drop time, I should start out faster and maintain that pace. Before this race, I was worried about going out too fast and not being able to finish the race strong. 

Making an impact on others in swimming and in my life is very important to me. I am always cheering on my teammates, while it is in practice or at a meet. I am always there for my teammates to celebrate their successes as much as my own, or to pick them up and help them find the positive aspects of a bad race. Many different coaches have called me a “coach's dream” because I am very coachable, a naturally driven athlete, a friendly teammate, and a very hard worker. When a coach gives me feedback in practice and after a race, I try my best to incorporate it into my stroke the next time I swim. As seen by my grades, I am a dedicated and hardworking student, and this work ethic comes out in the pool as well.

Many of my goals revolve around the idea of being important to a team. In college, I strive to find a place that values the balance between swimming and academics, and does not sacrifice one for the other. My goals in the pool correlate to outside the pool as well. I want to work hard, be positive, feel valued, and make the most of the experience. Specific to swimming, I want to drop time in all events, make championship cut times, and improve my technique in all strokes. Part of my goals also revolve around what the coach wants to see from me.  I am open to being pushed from coaches and I will strive to reach them. Since I started swimming later than most people, I still have a lot of potential and I can’t wait to take my swimming to the next level in college.