Summer Finke
Summer Finke
QUICK STATS
- Birthdate: September 7, 1996
- Hometown: Clearwater, FL
- Club Team: St. Petersburg Aquatics
- College: N.C. State University
- Coaches: Fred Lewis, Mark Bernardino
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- 2-time Olympic Trials Qualifier
- 3-time NCAA qualifier in the mile
- USA Swimming Junior National Team Member
EXPERIENCE
Summer Finke has been swimming since the age of four, and her passion for the sport led her to pursue a career in athletics. Summer graduated with a M.S. in Sport Management from The University of Florida, specializing in Athlete Development. She brings a wealth of knowledge to Fitter & Faster clinics, and takes a personalized approach to coaching, meeting each swimmer’s needs both mentally and physically.
The opportunity to work with young athletes in Fitter & Faster swim clinics is something that Summer values. She says, “working with clinic participants reminds me of the passion I had for the sport as a young swimmer. The athletes are like sponges, and it’s truly special when a participant picks up a skill and is excited to take that into their next race.”
Summer shares with clinic participants that success can be measured in many ways. She says, “One piece of advice that I received is that swimming is much more than a time on a scoreboard. Being successful is not only measured by getting a best time, but also by so many metrics we often overlook; getting faster on a turn, becoming more confident, learning how to relax before a race. Measure success in as many ways as possible and you will become a better athlete and a more well-rounded person.”
Summer acknowledges that being an athlete in an age of social media is challenging due to both the pressures of comparison and seeing what one is missing when they give up time with friends to train. She shares with clinic participants the importance of personal confidence and resiliency to push through those moments when motivation may be low. She says, “There are going to be ups and downs in any sport and it is important to push through hard times and get up more times than you fall down.”
