When you think of the major high school sports, swimming gets left out all too often. It is unfortunate, because swimming is a difficult sport. Charlie Rimkus first started swimming when he was seven years old. "At first, my parents just wanted me to be water safe, and then I had a good time with it, and met some friends that were on the local swim team, who got me started."

Charlie devotes nearly every moment of his non-academic time to swim. Rimkus wakes up at four in morning most days of the week to swim before school. "It is very difficult to manage my time between swimming, school, and my outside life, but it teaches me great time managment-something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life." Rimkus is among the best swimmers at Beckman, and is recognized for it. At home a massive collection of medals and awards hang upon an entire wall. Some would say being a child prodigy with a sport is enough, but Charlie Rimkus has maintained an outstanding 4.1 grade point average.

He prides himself on breaking records at nearly every event he participates in whether it be in San Francisco Bay or Miami. "I do aspire to go to the Olympics someday, as do most elite athletes, but it is a very lofty dream that I try not to think about too much. Instead, I try to focus on being the best swimmer I can be on a day to day basis, and in my mind, that will carry through in the long run-whether it be college swimming, or the Olympics." He added, " I definitely want to go to a four-year university, and swim during my time there. However, I do not want to sacrifice academics for athletics-something that I will always stand by."

It is very clear that Charlie plans on being more than just your average teenager, and with all the hard work he puts in, he deserves more. He's good enough to be a high school star, maybe even an Olympian, but can Rimkus make a career out of swimming? "If, in fact, I do become good enough to have a great sponsorship deal with a company, it really depends on when it is offered." He does not want give up his eligibility for college swimming for a sponsorship, which he would have to, but if it is after college he may stick around for a few years to be a professional swimmer, and aim for the 2016 Olympics." He explains, "Right now, I am content striving to be the best amateur athlete that I can be." If all students would strive to be as proactive as Charlie Rimkus is, the world could be a better place.