STANFORD -- “Once I met and practiced with the team, I knew I was making the right choice signing with UNK,” said Olivia Forrest, senior, regarding her commitment to swimming at UNK.
Forrest committed on February 26th at Olympia High School. She was surrounded by friends, family, teammates, and her current coaches, Leslie Forrest, and Jenny Gillis.
Forrest was a very versatile swimmer for the Spartans as she swam in anything her coaches put her in. “I feel like I will most likely specialize in butterfly and backstroke,” said Forrest when asked what events she will most likely be participating in at UNK.
“The Olympia swim team has always been small, which I am grateful for. I’ve been lucky enough to constantly get one-on-one time with my coach and that has really helped my technique and motivation,” said Forrest, when asked how the Olympia swim program has shaped who she is as a swimmer and person.
Some of Forrest’s favorite moments in high school swimming were “breaking records, especially breaking the ones that were over 20 years old”. In Forrest’s four years at Olympia, she has broke seven records.
When asked what she will miss most about high school swimming Forrest had a lot to say, but she will miss her teammates the most. Forrest said,“My girls. I’ve been swimming with them for years now. It’s just going to be extremely different to have 7+ practices a week without them with me,”.
One of Forrest’s main goals for her freshman year at UNK is to “adapt to the team and the coaching”. Also, even though she is a very talented swimmer already, she is motivated to keep improving her times.
When asked what Forrest is looking forward to most, she said “everything”. She added, “I’m ready for something fresh and new. Sure, I will definitely miss home, but there’s also a time for a new beginning and that is right now,”. Forrest plans to study exercise science to become a physical therapist.