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5x State Champion, Still Getting Faster: Camryn Siegers’ Path to Alabama Swimming
Two summers ago, Camryn Siegers showed up at PowerStrength, already a state champion, seeking a way to keep improving instead of hitting a plateau.
She’s now a five-time state champion in swimming and diving at Holland Christian, and this Fall she’ll head into her senior year and has committed to swim at Alabama.
THE START
Camryn came to PowerStrength on a friend’s recommendation.
“I knew a couple people who had been training here for a while. One of my good friends always talked good about it,” she said. “She said it gave her a good advantage and a good mindset.”
After coming in for a free athletic assessment, Camryn was convinced it was what she needed.
What hooked her wasn’t just the workouts — it was how different the training felt.
“I like the energy, and they pushed me out of my comfort zone to a spot I don’t really get to in the pool,” she said. “It’s just a different type of training, which I really appreciated.”
RESULTS IN AND OUT OF THE WATER
The gains showed up in ways she could measure directly against her competition.
“I’m definitely more explosive, and I would say even my endurance is a lot better. I can hang through practices a lot faster than I used to,” she said. “Even just doing dryland workouts, off the blocks and our turns when we push off, I can see that advantage over other people.”
One area stood out specifically: “I’m really fast off my walls, and that was an area where I struggled in the past year, so it’s definitely gotten a lot better.”
TRUSTING THE PROCESS
Camryn is honest that the results didn’t show up overnight — and she thinks that’s worth saying out loud.
“The first few months, I was always just kind of sore, and it felt like it was slowing me down,” she said. “But after those first few months, I felt like I could really get ahead of those other swimmers.”
Her advice for anyone in that early stage of training: “Being sore is part of being an athlete, but you get used to it, and it gets better. You just have to hold out and see those results.”
THE MENTAL EDGE
The physical gains built something else along the way: confidence.
“It’s definitely grown my confidence,” she said. “I like being able to be independent here and still have a coach beside me. It helps — like, I can do it, I can lift.”
That confidence carries directly into her next chapter.
“Especially going to college next year, it’ll make me feel a lot more confident.”
WHAT MAKES POWERSTRENGTH DIFFERENT
Camryn points to how specific the training feels to her as an athlete.
“It’s very individualized and sport specific. I don’t feel like I’m just doing generic workouts — they can talk me through how it helps me in the pool, so I’m never questioning what this is doing for me,” she said.
She also credits the small-group setting: “Everyone here is here for the same reason — to grow as an athlete. And the coaches know me, they know how I train, which is really helpful.”
KEEPING THE GROWTH GOING
Camryn won a state championship as a freshman in the 100 yard backstroke.
In the last 2 years, she has added 4 more titles to her resume. 2 more in the 100 yard backstroke, and 2 in the 50 yard freestyle.
“It’s definitely helped,” Camryn said in reference to how training has impacted her performance in the pool. “Just because I’ve won state championships doesn’t mean that’s a cutoff point. A lot of people can plateau during their high school years, especially after hitting puberty. But being at PowerStrength has really helped me see that linear growth.”
HEADED TO ALABAMA
Camryn had plenty of options when it came to college swimming. Michigan, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Texas A&M were all in the mix before Alabama won her out.
“Alabama kind of stuck with me. I knew I wanted to go somewhere warm,” she said. “The environment they have is really amazing, the facilities were great, and it was definitely a spot I could see myself being for four or five years.”
She’s already thinking about how her training will translate once she gets there.
“One of the girls on my visit said you’re definitely going to be a little behind if you haven’t weight trained before college,” she said. “I already know how to train, I already know how to fuel my body after I lift — so I can focus on speed instead of catching up.”
ADVICE TO THE NEXT ATHLETE
For an athlete just starting out, Camryn’s advice is to give it time.
“Just stick it out,” she said. “It took me a while to get in the groove of how I train here, but I’ve become really confident, and I know what weights I can handle and how to push myself.”
Camryn is proof that even athletes already winning at a high level still have room to grow.
“PowerStrength is encouraging,” she said, “encouraging you to get your results and know that it’s coming.”
WANT TO SEE BIG RESULTS?
3rd–12th grade athletes of all sports and ability levels can sign up at PowerStrength at any time throughout the year while spots remain. Choose the PowerStrength location most convenient for you — Alpine, Kentwood, Jenison, Plainfield, Holland, or Byron Center.
Visit powerstrengthpro.com/athlete/contact/ to learn more or click below to schedule your assessment and get started.