Jessica Beneke '14 Recruiting Profile

My name is Jessica Beneke, I am 19 and originally from South Africa. I currently live in a small town called Arco Idaho that has no pool, and there is not a big interest in my state in being a swimmer. When I was still in high school I found a USA Swimming Club (Pocatello Tiger aquatics) which is 83 miles drive away from me. I wish I could have a feeling of unity. That feeling is a big part of what I am looking for in a college team, as well as academics as during my high school years I moved around a lot due to my father’s work, I pulled my grades up my junior and senior year but my GPA dropped without any acknowledge. I set my standards higher now, not only for myself, but for my teammates and coaches. I may not always be the fastest swimmer in the pool, but I want to make an improvement. I believe that dedication and effort pay off, and I do not ever want a coach to think I gave less than my best and I’m not worth a spot on the team. I give 100% effort, 100% of the time. When I am given something that seems impossible, I think, when I am done with this, I will just be that much stronger. I have decided about a major field of study it is health-related fields, and not sitting behind a desk all day I also want to use my degree I earn to continue my career in the USA army. I do know that I want to be the best that I can be, and I won't let anything stand in the way of my dreams or being the first person in my family to attend college. Currently my times are a bit slow due to coming back from a year out of competitive swimming and a leg injury. All I ask is that I find a coach who is willing to help rehab and help me get back into competition mode.