Did you know we have about 8,000 female swimmers in Illinois high school swimming and Olivia is in the top 150 best female swimmers in the state? She also holds a few team records. Olivia Casper, a junior student-athlete at West Leyden, is a student that enjoys swimming and bringing up spirits on the team. Olivia has a special place in her heart for swimming and the teams she swam for. She says, “The best part of being on the swim team is the community that the team has and how everyone is so friendly.” She’s been working her whole life to become the amazing swimmer she is today. Olivia, reminiscing about being young, says, “I have been doing competitive swimming since I was 5 years old.” However, sometimes the pressure becomes too much for people. She was one of those people who almost gave up completely. “Getting through the mental block of almost quitting was stopping swimming for about three years in middle school,” said Olivia, “Taking a break was the only way that helped me get through because I just didn’t want to swim anymore. So I took a break and got back into it freshman year.” While at Leyden, Olivia has built her swimming history with many records and wins under her belt while still staying humble. She talks about her coaches that made her realize she could always be better, “My old coaches would always criticize me and I think that was what made me realize I could be better and make me be very humble and always know that I have competition.” Olivia has multiple events she specializes in, but 100 backstroke is her favorite out of them all, considering she still holds the girls 100 backstroke record. She explains, “My favorite event is the 100 backstroke, it was my first year that I swam at Leyden and that was my main event that I did almost every meet. I knew that after sectionals freshman year that it was my event because every time I swam it, it felt really good and better each time.” For now, swimming is coming to an end and Olivia has a lot on her plate. Studying for the ACT, finding a career for her future and much more. While she’s still wondering about a career she wonders, “Choosing a career to do after high school has been the biggest struggle for me this year. I think about it everyday trying to figure out what I want to do, and nothing sounds super appealing to me that I would want to stay in for most of life.” Olivia’s commitment to swimming shows the focus and determination that will carry her far in the future.