“Swim has taught me so much but I’m most proud of it teaching me how to control my emotions.” Sophomore Fatima Maciel has been involved with swim since she was in the sixth grade. In middle school Maciel was inspired by her neighborhood friend to join the community pool team in which she competed every summer.

“I hated it at first but I began to love it shortly after.” Once Maciel got to high school it was without question that she would join the swim team.

“With practice everyday swim motivates me to do good in school and stay confident.” She has been able to break out her shell, learning how to lead effectively due to swim. “It would have been so much more difficult for me to learn how to be mentally disciplined without it.”

“I like to use swim as a retreat because it helps me release my emotions in a more positive way.” Maciel said doing swim has taught her to be a more laid back person and she’s proud of that. “Since I’m only a sophomore I’m excited for future seasons to come but this season I plan on working on new techniques.”

As of now, Maciel is working on how to time her breathing more precisely and is determined to get it down before the end of this season.

“I can’t wait to see how much butter I get along with how good this season turns out to be.”