COVINGTON, Ga. -- With a big swim meet coming up for the Region 3-AAAAAA Alcovy swim team Saturday, senior Nick Robertson remained cool as he reflected on his time with the Tigers.

Robertson has made great strides as a varsity swimmer, despite only being with the team for two years and having no prior training in the pool. His progress was recognized when he was named team captain alongside fellow seniors, Maurice Johnson and Nick Whitehead. All three captains are second year swimmers.

As for Robertson, he’s parlayed his short time as a swimmer into a county championship and NewRock swim meet victory last year. And before Saturday’s meet, Robertson was undefeated in the 200-yard freestyle this season while showing marked improvement from his first meet last year to now.

In his first-ever meet, Robertson finished the 200 with a 3:15 time, coming in third overall out of three swimmers.

“I stepped up on the block,” Robertson says about his first meet. “I was nervous. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I was shaking. Under the water I basically did as best as I could. I wasn’t very good at all. But it was a learning experience and a growing experience. We got some film and I’m still using that to this day to better myself.”

Before Saturday's meet at UGA, Robertson's personal best in the 200 was 2:41 for his best time in the 200. Robertson smashed that Saturday, scoring a 2:38.36 while also shaving some time off his 100-yard freestyle PR by clocking a finishing time of 1:05.68.

Continuing to swim in college is a goal for the senior athlete. He has already been accepted into Monmouth College in Monmouth, IL on an academic level.

“I’m planning an official visit with them for January,” said Robertson. “So we’ll see how that goes as far as the swim team goes.”

Swimming isn’t the only thing that piques Robertson’s interests, though.

Robertson has also been a part of Alcovy’s cheerleading and wrestling squads, as well as the marching band where he played the bass drum and trumpet.

He holds a 3.0 grade point average and says he would like to study sports medicine in college so he can pursue a career in athletic training.

But as for his progress in the pool, Robertson attributes much of it to the coaching he’s received while at Alcovy and the competition and camaraderie experienced with teammates.

“(Coach Altoine Wilson) is a very special man,” said Robertson. “He is the one that drives me to get into college. He tells me all the time that if I’m willing to go to college then he’s willing to help me get there. He’s done that so far. He does a way better job than I do to get me there some times. He’s always talking to coaches and filling out things for me and pushing me at practices and pushing me at meets.

“He’s always giving me pointers to help me. He’s always there to take the film and go over it with me. He checks in on me with my academics. He’s a one of a kind coach and I’m blessed to be one of his swimmers.”

And this group of swimmers is one Robertson considers family.

 “We’re all a team,” he said. When we see something is wrong with one of the other guys. Somebody’s going to step in and correct it. We hold everyone accountable for what’s going on in the pool at all times. We don’t let anyone slack off at practice. Before a coach can catch that and say something, a swimmer is already jumping down their throat about it.