Dillon Hillis credits his role models, his coaches, with his success in swimming. He says, “Since first stepping foot on a pool deck, my coaches have helped provide me with priceless wisdom and knowledge that has given me the tools to achieve my goals.” Dillon trained with Elliot Ptasnik as an age group and high school athlete, and went on to swim for Anthony Neste at the University of Florida (UF). At UF, he had the opportunity to work with a world class coach and alongside world class athletes. Coach Neste taught Dillon that with each new milestone he reached in the sport, there was another level of knowledge about swimming to unlock, resulting in Dillion being a lifelong student of the sport.

Dillon embraces the concept of balance in swimming. He says, “The thing I love most about swimming is the balance of the sport, both in and out of the water. Swimming requires both strong technique and hard work, but they must be balanced. You can work hard with poor technique and you won’t see results. You can have great technique but aren’t willing to work hard, and you won’t see results.” He shares this philosophy with Fitter & Faster camp participants, and encourages them to find balance not only in swimming, but in all things such as the balance between swimming and academics, time with friends and family, and just being a kid.

Dillon finds that Fitter & Faster camp participants are attentive and open to different coaching techniques and different ways of doing things. He says, “Kids are really willing to take in everything, whether it’s a new type of drill or advice from a clinician on how to execute an element of swimming. They can also be willing to give their two cents about something you, as a clinician, have shared with them. That’s good for me, too, as the sport is constantly changing and my knowledge and their feedback comes together to form a great camp.”

Swimming has taught Dillow how to become his best self both in the water and outside the pool. He says, “To me, swimming has always been much more than a time at the end of a race. Swimming gave me foundational life lessons that I use on a daily basis as I continue to succeed in life, such as dedication, discipline, and understanding the significance of finding joy in your greatest life ambitions.”