Antonia Verduzco
For 11 years, freshman Alyssa Volkers has been doing swim & diving while also playing softball, her passion for swimming is the competitive feeling she longs for before she hits the water.
She enjoys the people she’s surrounded with and thinks of them as a family, the relationship the girls have built with one another is adorable and Alyssa being a part of the lunches and brunches with them keeps their bond tight.
“The pool is the home, the team is the family.” Her coach tells the girls.
Their coach brings the girls together as a family and erases the negative of swimming and diving. Even after the seniors graduate when they reunite it’s as if they had never spent time apart, not only does Alyssa have a tight bond with her team they also share that with the boys swim team mutually cheering for each other. Her team has a pool dog named Ernie who pitches into the cherished memories Alyssa has with her team.
“The ability to push through the pain of swimming and push through the harder sets, but it’s difficult before an event feeling nervous and not so confident with myself, but at the last minute finding the confidence I need and feeling good.” Alyssa said when asked what her greatest strength is. Her body is greatly tested and so is her determination to keep playing the sport. Swimming and diving is a discipline sport that can feel overwhelming but she always finds her comfort back.
Alyssa’s big motivator is much more than her team or food, although she proudly shared that once she had eaten a whole rotisserie chicken during one of her swim meets, she’s motivated her strength and since she plans on doing sports in college she had replied very excited claiming she wants a college scholarship to the Florida Gators and what made her excitement sweeter was her coach knowing them personally.
Even when Alyssa doesn’t share the team title, the girls will still cheer for her. If her club versus Hamilton, both sides will be cheered for helping support her. Alyssa is a competitive, strong and loving girl who exceeds past her limits every meet due to the support her teammates provide.