As the siren buzzes, Joshua Kim ’22 springs off the board, propelling himself into the water. He swiftly glides underwater and rises to the surface to begin his breaststroke. “Go, go, go, Josh!” The PHS swim team watches and cheers as Kim moves his legs and arms in sync, racing towards the end of the lane.

Kim began swimming when he was in seventh grade. His mother originally pushed him to try the sport to stay active, but he gradually found his passion for swimming and decided to join the team in high school for opportunities to go to competitions.

Swimming competitively while being a busy high school student has trained Kim to be efficient with his time management skills. The process of developing a productive schedule has become especially difficult during seasons that require intense and long practices, but throughout his four years, Kim has learned to do this.

“I swim in the morning before school, so I do all my homework as fast as I can [the night before], so I can sleep early,” Kim said.

When racing competitively, it is normal to feel pressured, which can affect an athlete’s performance. Since swimmers race next to competitors in adjacent lanes, the proximity and constant comparison to those next to you can cause anxiety. Kim mentioned that his movements used to be stiff because of his nervousness, but throughout his years on the team, he has learned to overcome those emotions and swim freely. Part of this was from the help of his father, who has supported him throughout his swimming career.

“He helps me with my mindset and my workouts,” said Kim. “He likes to remind me to just focus on myself and really try my best. It’s made me understand that it is okay if I lose, as long as I am able to bounce back strong and reflect on what went wrong. I really appreciate him.”

In swimming, having a calm and confident mindset is especially important for success because of its extremely competitive nature, and it can be easy to get sidetracked. With his outgoing characteristics, Kim has been able to bond closely with other athletes on the team. Head Swim Coach Carly Misiewicz believes these characteristics contribute to Kim’s leadership abilities.

“People look up to him. He is definitely a big leader for us,” said Misiewicz. “He came in a little quieter as a freshman, but now that he’s a senior, [and he is] growing and getting to know everybody.”

Like Misiewicz, Daniel Baytin ’23, a member of the swim team, is also impressed by Kim’s leadership skills.

“He always leads the lane, [and] every day, he makes sure that everyone’s in the water on time and tries their hardest. If there was a ... team captain, it would be Josh Kim,” Baytin said.

Taking inspiration from his father and encouragement from his teammates, Kim plans on furthering his skills. He looks forward to potentially swimming for a college or club team, but whatever happens, he is certain swimming will be a part of his life for a long time.