Repetitive senior swimmer, Isis Gwin, has been swimming for the Shadow Ridge Swim Team since she was a freshman during the 2021-2022 season. She has progressed among the ranks of the team and is going to swim for her final year of high school.
Gwin is still contemplating if she wants to pursue a career in swimming and is considering performing in the sport at a collegiate level, or possibly taking on the hobby of being a swim instructor.
“I don’t think I will swim for a career, but I would love to keep swimming in college. I would also consider getting a job as a coach or swim teacher because swimming has changed my mindset to continue to try to improve myself, inside and outside the pool, I want to encourage that,” comments Gwin.
This senior swimmer has had many supporters during her career in high school swimming. It is no surprise that one of her biggest fans is her coach, a current teacher at Shadow Ridge High School, Steven Bedingfield.
Gwin states, “Honestly, my coach motivates me the most because he gives me good feedback and lets me know that I have great potential and that I can always keep getting better. I think becoming a better swimmer has made me proud of myself and I know it makes my coach and my team proud as well.”
As Gwin is going to perform in the 2024-2025 season for the Ridge, she is looking forward to experiencing this last year of high school swimming. As a senior she has grown to love and feel empowered by this sport, encouraging to want to get better every day, even when she is struggling with the demands of her sport.
“I am looking forward to going to regionals this year and hopefully breaking a minute on my 100 yard freestyle! That’s my goal and I want to end my senior year feeling completed. One of the things I enjoy most about swimming is how I can compete against myself. I want to try and work on using every part of my strength while sprinting. I struggle with kicking, so I want to focus on using my kick to propel me forward. I also struggle with my timing on breathing. I think it would be cool if I could go across the pool and back with only two breaths,” states Gwin.
Her coach believes Gwin has the ability to do many things and sees her as an all-around player. She has proven her growth over her years of playing and wants to encourage her to put herself out there as a senior this year.
Coach Bedingfield comments, “I am looking for more leadership and continued improvement from Isis. I am very proud of the swimmer she has become today as she is a very versatile player who is committed to everything I ask of her. My advice to her would be to understand the level of commitments that come from collegiate swim, as well as managing her time with the commands of being a student athlete in college. She has a very solid and positive mindset, so I am confident she will continue to have growth as one of my stronger swimmers.”
