During a week full of school, daily sports practices, and studying, few people would think about fitting in an extra workout. But Olivia Stankiewicz-Goldsmith ‘25 does, and she consistently embodies this sense of dedication in everything she puts her mind to.
When Stankiewicz-Goldsmith was seven years old, she started to take weekly swimming lessons. Before each lesson, she would watch the older kids on the swim team, which inspired her to try out for the competitive team.
“Tryouts were pretty selective, so I was super happy to get in,” Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said. From then on, her passion for swimming and athletics has grown.
Now, she is captain of The Baldwin School swim and cross-country teams and a year-long member of The Suburban Seahawks Swim Club (SSC).
Each week, she balances a busy schedule of six two-to-three-hour practices plus lifting at the gym two to three times. Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said she has mastered time management.
“It’s definitely hard, but I’ve done it for so long it just feels normal,” Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said. “It takes a lot of discipline to get my work done when I’m pressed for time after a long day, but knowing that I can only do my work at that time allows me to stay on track.”
Motivation is essential to maintaining such a demanding routine.
“I think what helps most is that I don’t see swimming as a task, and I really enjoy going to swim practice, which is necessary to keep from burning out. I rely a lot on my teammates to keep me motivated, too,” Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said.
She said the swim team community and atmosphere at Baldwin and SSC are very special to her.
“I enjoy that although it is an individual sport, there’s a huge team aspect that comes along with it,” Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said. “People think swimming is just one person pushing themselves while they swim back and forth, but you’re so reliant on your teammates’ support, whether cheering you on during reps or races. You feel connected, even though you’re the only one in your lane.”
She emphasized the importance of finding the fun in each practice and cherishing the memories made with the team, even in difficult times. In her sophomore year, she and the Baldwin swim team traveled to the Eastern Interscholastic Swimming and Diving meet, and this trip remains one of her best swimming memories.
“It really made such a great and close community even better when we spent so much time together,” Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said. “During the finals, everybody was standing and cheering the entire time.”
Also, the meet offered a look into a world of swimming that stretched beyond the bubble of the Main Line.
“It was so great to be a part of something that’s bigger than yourself, bigger than Baldwin’s community or the Inter-Ac. It’s the whole Eastern region,” Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said.
This year, Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said she aims to be an uplifting leader as one of the swim captains.
“When somebody is down, I try to help them see the positives,” Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said. “Just knowing you will be a better person after practice, and even during bad practices, knowing that you’re gonna learn something from it, makes all the difference.”
Her inspiring and determined nature does not go unnoticed by her peers.
“I am very excited to be captain with Olivia, because she works very hard, and just loves swimming in general,” swim team co-captain Katie McCullough ‘25 said. “A lot of people who swim year-round lose their spark for it, but Olivia stays loving it and is consistently motivated by it.”
Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said she advises younger swimmers to keep doing what they love.
“There will always be negatives when things are hard, but at the end of the day what is most fulfilling is following your passions, because you will learn from them no matter what,” Stankiewicz-Goldsmith said.
As her time in Baldwin athletics comes to an end, Stankiewicz-Goldsmith is looking forward to continuing her athletic career at the collegiate level at Carleton College in Minnesota.
