Lion’s Tale: How did you get your start in competitive swimming?

Senior Caroline Weinstein: I started when I was twelve, which is extremely late. It was really hard because my practices were with kids who were a lot younger than me.

LT: How long have you been swimming on the JDS team?

Weinstein: I’ve been on the swim team at JDS ever since it started, which is since I was a freshman, so four years.

LT: Besides JDS, where else do you compete?

Weinstein: So I’m on a couple of swim teams.

LT: Can you speak about what it’s like to compete on the JDS team? How does the team impact your performance?  

Weinstein: It’s really important to have a very good team, they really push you, they cheer you on at practices when you’re in the meets.

LT: What is the best or most rewarding part of competing?

Weinstein: The best feeling is definitely when you’re at a swim meet and hear the horn. All the hours of practice kind of just fit in and in that second you kind of forget everything, you just go, it’s instinct at that point.

LT: Can you speak about your experience competing at Maccabi last summer?

Weinstein: I did eight events, which is a lot, but a lot of fun. Usually, when you go to a meet, you do one or two events, but I did eight because I wanted to take the opportunity to practice and get better times. I swam the 500 free, which is twenty lengths of the pool and got third place for that, and then I did some relays.

LT: Did you receive any medals at Maccabi?

Weinstein: I received five. Two bronze, two silver, and one gold.

LT: Do you have any plans to continue swimming after high school?

Weinstein: I have always dreamt about swimming in college … so if I attend a division three school I will most likely walk on to their team after freshman or sophomore year.

LT: Do you have any inspirations or swimmers you look up to?

Weinstein: My role model is probably Katie Ledecky or Michael Phelps. Probably Katie Ledecky because she swims at the same pool that I swim at and trained with the same trainers. I also get to see her records at some of the meets I’m at and it’s really exciting to know that I’m swimming in the same meet that she once was.

LT: What has been your proudest accomplishment in swimming thus far?

Weinstein: I think I hold the school record for the 100 meter IM and I was in a relay with my close friend Natalie Granader last year.