The first time I saw Kevin Munsch was in 2008, at the Washington State 3A boys' swimming and diving championships at the Aquatic Center in Federal Way, when he was swimming for Kennedy Catholic High School. I was there as a photographer for the Highline Times. Four years later I see Kevin again, but this time at the NCAA Division 1 mens' swimming and diving championships, March 22-24, again at the Aquatic Center, but now he’s swimming for the University of Arizona. It’s interesting to note that Kevin ended both his high school and college swimming career at the same pool.

Throughout Kevin’s swimming career he has accumulated many awards, records, achievements and memories under his swimming belt. In fact, there are too many to list them all -- so I will only mention a few.

On February 7, 2008 Kevin was named the WIAA/Seattle Times class 3A State High School Athlete of the Week. Kevin was the defending state champ in the 200-yard Individual Medley, won his specialty, the 200-yard breaststroke, as well as the 100-yard butterfly and swam on two winning relays at the Seamount championships.

In college he is a five-time All-American in the breaststroke events, including First Team honors his junior season. He is fourth on the University of Arizona school record list in the 100-yard breaststroke, and sixth overall in school history in the 200-yard breaststroke. He was also named to the Pac-10's All-Academic team with a GPA of 3.26 studying Political Science.

This year’s NCAA swimming and diving championship was Kevin’s final college meet, and as the saying goes, “all good things must come to an end.”Kevin told me, “It’s real bittersweet. The serious cliché is, it goes by fast and all that, but I can’t believe it’s the last time I’ll be competing with this group of guys and competing for Arizona. It’s too bad because this has been the most awesome thing I’ve done in my life so far. I’m thankful for every bit of it, but at the same time I’m starting to get real sad that it’s the last time.”

During an athlete’s career there’s always someone who was their greatest supporter and Kevin is no different. “I’d have to go with my parents on that one. That’s probably a pretty standard answer but they’ve been great in that regard because they have never been too intrusive or anything like that. They are not overbearing and get too into it but they are there, good or bad, and they just enjoy it so it’s a nice balance. It keeps it fun and lighthearted which is good.”

Along with his swimming there is, of course, the academic side. “I’m double majoring in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. I just got accepted into the Entrepreneurship program”, he said. “It was a competitive application process, so some get in and some don’t. I thought I’d give it a shot and I got accepted so that’s going to keep me there an extra year because it’s a one year program.” So one more year at Arizona - I’m sure he isn’t disappointed.

Below are some questions I thought would be interesting to learn about Kevin the athlete.

So what has motivated you to keep swimming all these years? “Swimming turned out to be the sport of choice. I used to do several sports but ended up picking swimming. I’ve been fortunate being on good teams in high school and that enabled me to progress to an awesome place like Arizona. I’ve been surrounded by really awesome people, awesome program and it’s been fun.”

Do you have a best memory or achievement of swimming? “I’d say if you can call the whole four years at Arizona one collective memory that’s certainly been it. There’s just really too many to pinpoint one because I’d think of one memory that was great but then that’s going to remind me of another. I can’t even pick, it’s just been a magical experience. I’d just say the four years as a whole -I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

What are your emotions like when you’re up on the starting block, ready to go in the water, where are you mentally? “I’d say you just enjoy that part because practice isn’t really that fun. You do the practice and all the hard work so you can step up on the block and just enjoy the moment, the intensity and trying to win, try to go best time so it’s kind of just a little bit of a blank slate because you don’t want to freak yourself out or ever think anything but it’s just enjoyment. Enjoying the moment and make the most of it.”

Do you get anxious before a meet? “Definitely! Obviously the bigger the stakes the more nervous you get, but at the same time it’s just one of those things. I think to be successful you just have to learn to enjoy that. When I start to get nervous now, I look for that because it’s like, OK I’m ready. That sick stomach is a good thing, so you just use it to your advantage and know you’re ready to go.”

Just for fun I asked him how far he thought he has swum in his life. “That’s a very interesting question. Now that you’ve asked it, I’d actually like to know the real numbers; it would probably be real ridiculous. I have no idea what to even guess but hopefully, maybe to another continent or something like that. That would be cool, you never know.”

When a person strives to be the best at something, good things usually happen to those who are dedicated. To Kevin, swimming has meant so very much. “Swimming to me has been, in a sense, my whole life so far. It’s determined my friend circles. I haven’t had a chance to have a real job all these years because swimming has been a part time, almost a full time job with the hours you put in, especially in college. All my coaches I’ve had have been my mentors and bosses in a sense, so they’ve kind of formed me with my mentalities and work ethics. It’s built me into the person I am and it’s been incredible. Like I said earlier I feel real fortunate I’ve had good coaches and groups I’ve been associated with so it’s molded me into who I am today. It’s been a real positive experience.”

When I talk about dedication, Kevin is dedicated. His typical weekly swimming schedule is this: Two swim practices a day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 6-8am and 2-4pm. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday there’s swimming practice, weight training and running. This schedule is 12 months a year, with only 2 weeks off in August. That’s an average of 20-25 hours of practice a week. Now that is dedication!

Now just because Kevin’s college swimming days are over doesn’t mean his swimming career is over. This summer Kevin will be competing in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke for a spot on the Olympic team at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Omaha, Nebraska from June 25 through July 2.

I wish Kevin the very best as he strives to fulfill another dream in his memory book of life.