Nine-year-old Collins Sewell has lived in Isle of Hope her entire life, where she enjoys being near the water and spotting wild deer everywhere. What she loves most is having her grandparents living next door—a reminder of the close-knit community that supports her.

Collins is an active athlete, playing basketball, soccer, and swimming competitively. For three years, she has been a dedicated member of the Georgia Coastal Aquatic Team (GCAT) and competes for the Isle of Hope swim team in the summer. Inspired by her older brothers, she jumped into the pool and never looked back. Her role model? The legendary Katie Ledecky.

One of Collins’ proudest moments was winning second place at the summer league city meet two years in a row. This success didn’t come easily—she balances schoolwork and swimming with focus and discipline. "After practice, I work on homework while my mom makes dinner," Collins explains. "It’s not always easy, but it takes hard work."

Her biggest support is Coach Dan, who not only pushes her to be better every day but also keeps training fun with his humor. Collins dreams of one day swimming for the University of Georgia, and her advice for other young athletes is simple but powerful: “Always try your best, even on the hard days.”