Farzad Sarkari '17 Recruiting Profile

A story my mom has told many parents – no matter what they tried I would not enter into a pool until the summer after we moved to Houston in 2006.  It started with me just wanting to be in the pool with my friends.  While sitting on the deck and watching the other kids have fun, no one understood why I would not go into the water, not even me.  By the next summer, the pool became my water home.  Swimming in college requires a lot of determination and commitment that I will put my heart and soul into.  Knowing that swimming has changed my whole life, being there 24/7 would be great. 

I am a competitive swimmer with the technique and times to succeed at the collegiate level, while also being a team player and encouraging my teammates to push themselves whether at swimming or school competitions/UILs.  The thrill, is to swim against swimmers who are already faster than me.  When I swam with a teammate who is an Olympic trial swimmer, I challenged myself by making sure that he/she never lapped me.  Every season, I have received the “Most Improved” award at every group level.   

In the classroom, I study hard to learn the material inside out and to maintain a high GPA.  I also volunteer with a local charity called IEducateUSA that helps elementary kids enhance their interest in science.  Tutoring students, in school and outside, to help them better understand difficult concepts in math and science is a passion and a challenge. 

I want to attend a college where I can push myself academically and athletically while preparing for a meaningful career. I am open to all and every option and want to in the end, find the right college match at the highest level of competition I can compete at.  I hope to become a great role model to all my colleagues in the water and in the classroom through my achievements which reflect that obstacles and uncertainties can be overcome by having goals, a positive mindset and extending yourself to your fullest potential.