By Bryce McKinnis

After making an appearance at the state swim meet last year, Broken Arrow High School junior Holden Caruth is expecting a big season for his Tigers.

“My favorite accomplishment was swimming at state during my sophomore year,” Caruth said. “I really appreciated being surrounded by teammates who shared the same goal and were committed to giving it their all after a long season of hard work.”

Caruth, who has swum competitively for five years and competed for several club teams before making the Tigers’ varsity team, dedicates nearly all his free time to the pools.

“I would say that I’ve always been a hard worker, both in and out of the pool,” Caruth said. “My passion for the sport is what drives me to keep pushing myself, even on the toughest days.”

Before his swimming days, Caruth struggled to find the right sport for him.

“Once I started competitively swimming, I discovered a passion that has continued to motivate and push me to where I am today,” Caruth said. “Swimming has taught me that I’ll always finish what I start, even when it’s a struggle. It’s shown me that I can push through challenges and keep going when things get tough.”

As he enters the third lap of his varsity career, Caruth will now be looked to for leadership.

“I do feel that my leadership responsibilities have increased now that I’m an upperclassman. Younger swimmers look to me as an example, and my coaches now trust me to help build the team culture and connect with teammates. I always try to lead in a way that’s positive and supportive,” Caruth said. “I aspire to be the kind of leader people feel comfortable approaching. Whether someone needs swimming advice or is dealing with something outside the pool, I want to be someone that they can trust and rely on.”

Caruth’s goals for this season are to drop his times in each event and qualify for state in the 100m backstroke and/or one of his relays.

“My goals for the rest of high school are to finish with a 4.0 GPA and keep improving as a swimmer,” Caruth said. “I want to qualify for state this year and next and continue being a strong teammate and leader.”