An Interview with Liam Morris, Swimmer

How long have you been swimming?
I’ve been swimming for eight years.
Tell us about your swimming career?
I started swimming at my beach club over the summer. I swam there about a year until I realized I wanted to continue with swimming. I tried out for Central Jersey Aquatic Club (CJAC) when I was about 8, and I am still a part of the team today. I also swim for Christian Brothers Academy during the school year.
Do you, or have you in the past, participated in other sports?
I played travel basketball in 7th and 8th grade, and played recreational sports since I was young.
When did you decide you wanted to focus on swimming?
I have always tried to take swimming as seriously as I could, but probably in seventh grade I really began to think more deeply into it.
How many hours a week do you train and do you train year round?
I train in the pool 12 hours a week, and I do train year round.
What are your achievements to date?
I have participated at Junior Olympics, Eastern Zones, Sectionals. I have also swam in Monmouth counties, Shore Conference and in NJ Non-Public A State finals.

What was the single most rewarding, and the single most disappointing moments in swimming?
The most rewarding moment in swimming I have experienced was either the time I qualified for sectionals, or participating in our high school state finals. Being able to swim with such amazing teammates and great coaches on both of my teams allows me to be the swimmer I am today. Although I have had tough races where I haven’t achieved my goals, I haven’t experienced any moments that I’ve thought of as disappointing, but moments that have made me realize I need to work harder and be more prepared both physically and mentally.
Do you plan to pursue swimming in college and beyond?
I do plan to swim in college.
Any advice for kids just starting to swim competitively?
For any new swimmers, I can’t express how great of a sport swimming is. The thing, however, with swimming or any sport is that it requires dedication. You need to be willing to give it your all, every time you enter the pool. You also need to stick with it and push yourself through both the toughest moments as well as the easy ones. Hopefully you are as lucky as I am and get to swim under the guidance of amazing coaches and build unbreakable bonds with your teammates.
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