Alexander Mahr '16 Recruiting Profile

I have been swimming ‘on a team’ since I was 9 years old. Up until September of 2013, I swam on a recreational team.   I had enough talent to swim on the A-Relays; however, when I was younger I didn’t want the pressure that was implied with being on the ‘A-Relay’.   In 2012 I was asked and allowed to be a Junior Swimmer Coach on my team, this put a much different pressure on me, it also forced me to step up and show what I could do in the pool.  I learned from my coach about the mechanics of swimming and coaching, anatomy and physiology and how the body works this all tied into my understanding of swimming.  It taught me to be objective about my technique and really apply what my coaches were speaking about.  While I was coaching I realized I could be a role model I always envisioned.

Shortly after that rec season, which was fall of my freshman year, I slightly tore my Labrum in my right shoulder.  I was out of the water for approximately 3 months.

 I figured out how much I actually missed the sport and what an important part it is in my life, it was then I decided just how hard I was willing to commit to get back in the water and be competitive.  I realized I had become a role model for the team. I saw a glimpse my potential to be great

In the spring of my freshman year, I swam on my High School team and it was, at that time, the most I had ever trained.  During this time I realized how hard I could really work myself and started to push beyond my limits.  I continued to work myself to be the person I wanted to be.

This collective experience came together the end of my freshman year and recreational season, I decided to move onto the Sierra Marlins.

When I initially started with the Marlins, I didn’t have any specific goals; I just wanted to get faster and to be the great person I had envisioned myself as.  Almost daily, I found that I could push myself farther and harder than just the day before.

I was pushed by my new coach to set goals I needed to reach to become who I wanted to be.  It was then I set the goal to be swimming on the ‘Senior Elite’ squad on my team and then to swim in College. While I was in my first group I had a tremendous amount of growth, as I saw my teammates struggle with the same struggles I had, I realized I wasn’t the only one with the same issues, it actually allowed me to deal with my own demons through them. During this time I also came to realize how much I value my team,  I have fallen  in love with swim, my team and teammates, we all share the same mindset and passion.

 I achieved my goal of swimming in my elite group on the Sierra Marlins and I have other goals to further myself within the group. I’m still pushing myself to become the role model I envision that’s constantly changing and developing to do greater things. That’s what separates me from other candidates