Josh Plotnik - Men's Swimming & Diving

Josh Plotnik is a senior captain on the Carnegie Mellon men's swimming and diving team. Josh is pursuing a degree in biological sciences and has contributed to the athletic site's blog page in the past.

16 years. 6,852 hours. Tens of millions of yards. With the day in which I will no longer be competitively swimming inching closer and closer, what has it all meant? To tell the truth, it’s something that I think about quite often. In a year of lasts – last dual meets, last practices, last training trips, last championships – it has given me the opportunity to reflect on the long, exhausting road I’ve traveled to be in the position I am in to finish my career.

I don’t know how the 3-year old, afraid to put his head underwater, transformed into the 21-year old who spends much of his time staring at that thick black line painted at the bottom of the pool. What I do know is that somewhere along the line I fell in love with the sport. I fell in love with the dedication, the commitment, the competition. I fell in love with the people – my coaches, my teammates, and those who have doubted my abilities – that have given me the guidance, strength, and motivation to get to where I am in my career. I am extremely proud and fortunate to have been part of both the Shawmut Aquatic Club and Carnegie Mellon Swimming and Diving families. I owe an awful lot to both in helping me get the best out of my ability.

I am not gifted with tons of natural talent. I was never the fastest in the pool. I came to Carnegie Mellon as a walk-on after being told by multiple UAA head coaches that I wasn’t talented enough to swim in the conference. As a freshman, I was buried at the bottom of the depth chart, looking up at nine teammates (which at some point would include three school-record holders). Not only is being a freshman a difficult adjustment, but early on in the fall semester I lost my grandfather to a long battle with cancer. I will never forget how my teammates made me feel part of a family – sending hand-made cards to both me and my family in Massachusetts. These cards made me realize that I was truly part of the team, not just a swimmer buried way down on the depth chart. It was at this moment that I knew I had found a special situation in which I could fully recognize my potential as both an athlete and a leader on campus.

Over the last three years, I believe that I have made good on my own promise to contribute in any way possible to the Carnegie Mellon Swimming and Diving family. While I have worked my way up the depth chart, I feel fortunate to have contributed in being a leader. My teammates over the last four years have meant everything to me; and are directly responsible for helping me grow both in and out of the pool. The late John Wooden once said: “One must acquire peace of mind by making the effort to become the best of which you are capable.” When I finally hang up my swimsuit for the last time, whether that is in February or March, I will do so with the peace of mind knowing that I poured everything I had into being the very best athlete and leader I can be for my team. And for me, that is worth every yard of every hour of practice over the last 16 years.