Wayland has a reputation for having one of the strongest swim teams every year. Many Wayland kids join the Wayland Jr. Warriors and work their way up to the high school level. Not all Wayland swimmers compete for the Warriors, though.

Shawn Nee, a sophomore at WHS, trains and competes for the Shawmut Aquatics Club.

Nee has been swimming for the Shawmut Aquatic Club for the past three and a half years. Before that, Nee spent two years swimming for Wayland Jr. Warriors and two years for the Metrowest YMCA team.

Nee started swimming when he was four years old.

“I actually started swimming because of water training. As it turned out, I liked it, and I stuck with it,” said Nee.

In 2010, Nee was selected to go to the National Diversity Select Camp at the United States Olympic Training Center (USOTC) for a week. This past summer, Nee competed in the Junior Nationals in Palo Alto, California.

“It was truly a humbling experience,” said Nee. “I feel that the connections and the friendships you made with people from around the country was the most important part.”

Last November, Nee traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota in order to swim in the Minnesota Grand Prix. The Grand Prix is a circuit of high level meets; there are seven each year. While Nee was there, he met Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps.

“[Meeting Michael Phelps] was really awe-inspiring to be honest, just swimming in the same pool as the greatest Olympian of all time and just thinking about it.” said Nee.

In the future, Nee plans to continue swimming. He hopes to compete in the Division 1 NCAA conference and swim at the Olympic trials in 2016.

“It’s the love for swimming and the drive to compete with my teammates that keeps me motivated for all of the morning and afternoon practices,” said Nee.