“Can I train with the varsity swimmers today?”  The day after meeting the swim coach, this was the question that I asked him.  To most, asking such a blunt question would seem absurd, but in the mind of a freshman who was determined to improve, this was the perfectly logical response after concluding that the JV practices were not going to be challenging enough.  I did not ask to, nor expect to, race as a varsity swimmer right away, but I knew from my heart that I needed to give myself the opportunity to succeed.  Regardless of my intentions, though, I certainly made a name for myself:  determined.

Maybe this comes from my true name.  Aidan: The Fiery One.  Fire, the symbol for dedication, definitely seems to fit.  Faced with challenges, I often use the spark inside of me to overcome and conquer obstacles.  This spark is not extinguished by water but is rather nurtured and aided as I plunge into the pristine pool each day after school.

“Today you will be doing repeat 100-yard freestyles until failure.”

Upon hearing these words, all but a few of the swimmers unleashed a collective groan.  Instead, I saw the opportunity to improve my endurance. 

I then asked, “How far do you think I can make it into the set?”

Coach Kevin pondered my query for a few moments before responding. “I think you can last until the end!”

I set myself to this task and decided that I was not going to let sore muscles stop me from achieving my goal, especially if my coach thought I could succeed.  forty minutes into the hour-long set, my fellow teammates began to drop.  First, they put on fins after missing one 100; then, after missing yet another, they got out of the pool to cheer and encourage those of us that remained.

As the interval descended, I refused to give in to the lead weights that my arms had become and the fire that my legs felt.  I was barely aware as the number of 100s remaining ticked down to three.  Then it was two.  And finally, there was only one remaining.  I held on and refused to give in… and 55 seconds later, I had successfully persevered through the dreaded repeat 100s!

It is times like these that I feel how perfectly my name fits my fiery sense of determination.