Swimming is known to be one of the most intense, time-consuming sports out there. An accomplished athlete, junior Graham Miotke has been swimming for almost his entire life and has enjoyed every second of it.

Miotke has been a varsity swimmer on the Rochester Adams Swim and Dive team for almost three years. In addition to varsity swimming, Miotke competes in a club outside of Adams called NOW swimming, and he often represents Team Michigan at a variety of competitions, including Michigan Zones.

Q: How do you handle schoolwork and swimming together?

GM: Handling both is definitely a challenge, but I would say the main thing which helps me succeed is having a good work ethic and having a good sense of knowing how to accomplish everything that needs to get done. I do my best not to procrastinate, even though that rarely ever stops me from doing so. Balancing swim and school has become easier as I have become accustomed to swimming at a high level as well as trying to keep my academics at the peak of their potential.

Q: Do you believe that high school swim is an individual or team sport?

GM: I would say when it comes to the races by themselves, swimming is definitely an individual sport, because it is all about you and no one can make you better or make you accomplish your goals except yourself. But overall, high school swim is a team sport because doing everything needed in order to be not only a good performer but a good team in general is pushed forward not only by you, but by your teammates as well. The team aspect of the sport is one of the things I enjoy the most about high school swim.

Q: How long have you been swimming, and what has kept you in swimming for so long?

This is my ninth year swimming as I started the summer before I turned eight years old. I would say the main thing keeping me in swimming is that I love to race, and the people I’ve met in swimming are some of the best people I know. Many of my friends are also swimmers.

Q: Will you be furthering your swim career out of high school?

GM: I do plan on continuing to swim outside of high school, but I am not quite sure of the details yet.

Q: What is the best part about the intense sport?

GM: The best part about swimming is the thrill of racing. The best thing is finishing a race and seeing your time, especially if it is a good one, because then you know that all the hard work and training you did throughout the season has truly paid off. I would say the payoff at the end of the season, win or lose, is the best thing about swimming.

Q: How is the Adams Swim and Dive team shaping up this year compared to past years?

GM: I would say that this year’s team is shaping up to be a pretty good one. We have been fairly competitive through the first couple of dual meets. Compared to the past two years, I would say we have definitely lost a lot of really great swimmers and team leaders since I was a freshman, but we have been able to replace those personalities with more of the incoming freshmen. This team seems to be better than I expected coming into the season. That’s thanks in part to all the hard work everyone has put in through the training period of the year.

Q: What are some of your long-term goals for the future in swimming?

GM: My number one goal for swimming is to be able to swim for a Division 1 college. After that, it is all about improving, hopefully to the point where I will be able to compete at NCAA Championships and maybe Olympic Trials.

Q: What do you look forward to each day about swimming?

GM: The thing I look forward to most about swimming is seeing my teammates, because I know with them there, everything else will be made that much easier. During a hard workout, having someone there to complete it with you makes it easier than anyone could even imagine.

Q: What will you remember most about your time swimming in high school?

GM: The things I’ll remember most about swimming in high school are the friends I’ve made, the meets, whether the result ended up being good or bad, and most importantly accomplishing all the goals I set for myself when I first started swimming for the Highlanders.

Miotke will lead the Rochester Adams Swim and Dive team into the second half of their schedule this winter. High-stakes competitive meets for the sport are approaching rapidly, including the Oakland County meet, beginning on February 3, and the League meet, which runs February 22 through the 24.