🏊 Junior · Class of 2027 · San Diego, CA · 200 Free specialist

Fast in the pool. Fierce for the ocean.

Nia Thompson, 16. Varsity swimmer, junior lifeguard, and founder of a student beach-cleanup crew. 5AM practices taught me discipline. The tide taught me everything else.

My swim times ↓Ocean work 🌊
Swimming
50 FREE26.4s
100 FREE57.8s
200 FREE2:04.1 ★

★ CIF finalist, 200 free · team co-captain '26 · "Most Improved" '24 → "MVP" '25

Pool life 🏊‍♀️

Training 8 sessions a week. Yes, the hair is always damp. No, I don't want to "just skip one practice."

Race

🏁 Racing

CIF finalist (200 free), league champ 4×200 relay. Chasing a section podium this spring.

Lifeguard

🛟 Lifeguarding

Junior guard, 2 summers. 3 assists, 1,000+ sunscreen reminders. Red Cross certified.

Coaching

🐠 Guppy coaching

Teach 6–8 y/o swim lessons Saturdays. Patience level: unlocked. Joy level: maximum.

Ocean work 🌊

The pool made me fast. The ocean made me care.

1.2 tons

Beach trash removed by Tide Team — my 45-student cleanup crew, 20 cleanups deep.


300+

Elementary kids taught tide-pool safety through my "Touch Gently" workshops.

Beach

"the beach gives us everything — we just show up monthly to say thanks" ♡

2023
Joined varsity as a freshman (terrified). Finished last in my first 500. Kept showing up at 5AM anyway.
2024
"Most Improved" + first cleanup. Brought 6 friends to the beach. We filled 12 bags. Started Tide Team.
2025
Team MVP + CIF finalist + $2K grant. Won a youth ocean-leader grant. Bought gloves, buckets, and a very loud megaphone.
2026
Co-captain + marine bio dreams. Applying to summer programs (Scripps, NOAA). Goal: swim in college, study the sea.

Dive in — join a cleanup or say hi 🤿

📸 @nia.swims · 📧 nia.thompson.school@email.com · 📍 San Diego, CA

🧑‍🏫 Coach quote: "Nia outworks everyone and lifts everyone. Captains are made, not born — she's proof." — Coach Rivera