AJ Pouch
AJ Pouch
QUICK STATS
- Hometown: Henderson, NC
- Birthdate: November 15, 2000
- College: Virginia Tech University
- Coach: Sergio Lopez Miro
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Finalist
- 2024 World Aquatics Short Course Swimming Championships
- U.S. National Senior Team Member
- U.S. National Junior Team Member
- 2018 Junior Pan Pacs Silver Medalist
EXPERIENCE
AJ Pouch likes to tell the story of being “forced” into swimming at age 12. His twin sister was on a club team, his mom saw the benefits that swimming was providing and put AJ on the team. The head coach of that club saw potential in AJ and fostered a love for the sport through encouragement and believing in him. AJ qualified for the 2024 Olympic Trials in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke, finishing third overall in the 200-meter breaststroke and ninth overall in the 100-meter breaststroke. Following an impressive performance at Olympic Trials, AJ was named to the 2024 World Short Course Swimming Championships U.S. team. Qualifying for Olympic Trials was a goal he set for himself while swimming for his club team. “My coaches not only believed in me and gave me the tools to achieve my goal, but they went the extra mile and helped me be the best swimmer I could be. They were with me every step of the way.” All those coaches asked for in return was for AJ to pay it forward, which brought him to Fitter and Faster swim camps.
AJ enjoys talking about his love for the sport and his journey to success with Fitter and Faster swim camp participants. He says, “I have been through most, if not all, struggles of swimming. Whether it was not wanting to swim at all (I was forced into this sport) or whether it was setting a goal and struggling to take steps forward to achieve it. I know what it takes and what young athletes need to do to achieve what they want.”
Skills like time management, goal setting, and discovering physical and mental boundaries are things that AJ brings to Fitter and Faster swim camps. He believes that young athletes can benefit from these skills both in and out of the pool. AJ says that because of swimming, “I have achieved something that I used to dream about and have seen and been to meets and places that most people could not even imagine going to. I am living my dream!” His enthusiasm is infectious as he shares the advice of his beloved club coach, “This sport is an adventure. And the nature of an adventure is having some wins and some losses. Just soak it in.”
