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Coming into high school I was the shy, quiet, chubby kid who wasn’t very sure of himself. As a senior, I have changed dramatically from who I was then. One of my experiences that had the greatest impact on me was joining the swim team. Swimming competitively has helped me grow both physically and mentally. Joining the team helped me begin to socialize with kids I would normally never speak to and it helped me realize the importance of physical health. Coming into high school I wanted to get involved somehow, but I didn’t know where I would fit. Swimming was a sport I was always interested in, but never took the initiative to join a team. After constant nagging from my father about the importance of participating in a sport in high school, I decided to join the swim team. Going out the first day I didn’t know what to expect. After the first day I felt like Jell-O. I quickly realized that swim training would be one of the hardest tasks put before me. Getting through the first season was a challenge, because it was my first time doing a sport in high school and time was something I had very little of. Managing school and about seven practices a week was a struggle, but I quickly found a system that worked for me. Getting through the first season was a struggle. I not only finished, I finished proudly with a varsity letter and the “most improved” award. Joining the swim team also impacted my physical health. Before joining the swim team, exercise was an activity that was always put on the back burner. Swimming was now an exercise and a sport that I truly became passionate about. Through swimming I also became mentally healthier. Before swimming I was always the chubby kid who wasn’t very sure of himself, this is no longer the case. I am now more confident of a person with a few less pounds, and now I understand the importance of maintaining physical health, through lifelong activities. My passion for swimming has only grown strong throughout my three