Southwest Stars swimmer turns passion for the sport into statewide leadership

When Southwest Stars swimmer and Lake Minneola High recent graduate Collin Magnus was asked what he would do with $2,500 as a question on his application for the Junior Athlete Representative for Florida Swimming, he knew he wanted to do something to make a change. 

He knew how he answered the question would be a determining factor of his character, which would decide if he earned the role. 

Magnus wrote he would use the funds to place signs inside of host sites’ locker rooms reading “see something, say something.” In the 10 years he swam, he watched locker rooms be destroyed by users, to the point where hosts no longer wanted to be one. 

Encouraging others to speak up if they saw people destroying a locker room would help create a more positive swimming environment and continue to encourage venues to host large-scale meets. 

He knew signage and advocating for a change would help the swimming community as a whole. 

After he submitted his application, he waited, unsure of the result. 

Magnus was shocked and overjoyed when he successfully earned the Junior Athlete Representative role, and the one-year role changed his life for the better. He fell in love with leadership, and without it, Magnus never would have attended regional and national USA Swimming events, created a holiday toy drive and held a national role on USA Swimming Club’s Development Committee. 

“As time went on, I learned that my real passion (for swimming) was more leadership than just the medals and ribbons you get after your race,” he said. “I think using my passion and skills to better the sport really brought me more joy. … It’s given me so much. Being able to give back to the community is what makes me feel the best.” 

LEADER IN TRAINING

For years, swimming was a way for Magnus to stay active while enjoying the water. Growing up in Florida and being surrounded by it is what inspired him to first start swimming in 2016 at the National Training Center’s summer league meets. 

“What made it stick for me was teammates,” he said. “It’s such an individual sport time-wise by the accomplishments you get, but I feel like it’s your teammates that are there every day in practice and make those memories that (make) you want to come back every day.” 

Over the years, he made a name for himself through his various different clubs. He started with South Lake Aquatic Club, then LAKR Swim Club and most recently swims for Southwest Stars Swim Club. He won regionals once in the 500-yard freestyle and accumulated many other second- or third-place finishes at districts, but his passion began to drift. 

He still had his love for the sport — but in a different way. Rather than being the one in the water earning accolades, Magnus wanted to be the one helping create lasting memories for the current and future generations of swimmers. 

“Especially these last couple of years, I’ve really been trying to leave my footprints for it, and being able to do that would just mean so much more than just going out and swimming a fast time and being one of many on a leaderboard,” Magnus said. “Being able to host toy drives, host food drives, make a name for the sport on social media will just carry the longevity of the sport for the upcoming years, rather than just going out and swimming fast.”

The passion for leadership led him to Florida Swimming, a statewide organization that helps the community create an environment in which swimmers can achieve their dreams. He joined as an athlete committee member his sophomore year. In that role, Magnus mostly watched the meetings and shared ideas when asked.

In March 2024, halfway through his member term, he applied for and received a role as Junior Athlete Representative, which is technically a two-year term, but after a year, he automatically was upgraded to Senior Athlete Representative.

In this position, Magnus knew his voice would carry more weight at important meetings such as the House of Delegates, which is where Florida Swimming passes all of its policies.

In the committee, he worked on improving the athlete experience statewide. One of the most successful initiatives was helping introduce mixed relays into championship meets. The relays, which combine two boys and two girls in one team event, mirrored formats they had seen gaining popularity at international competitions. 

Magnus said the competition lineup has stayed the same for as long as he could remember, and after the committee saw the success internationally, they decided to try it to add more excitement. 

Coaches could strategically decide which swimmers would race each stroke, which added another layer of competition and teamwork. Magnus never was able to race in it because he was working on the side, but watching his teammates celebrate together became one of his favorite memories. 

OUTREACH ONLINE

His work and impact extended beyond the competitions. 

After noticing Florida Swimming’s social media presence lacked engagement, Magnus helped create new campaigns designed to connect with the younger swimmers and their families. The social media committee, of which Magnus was a part, launched short-form videos through athlete interviews and interactive content inspired by social media trends. 

One of the campaigns featured poolside interviews with swimmers and it ranged from young athletes to Olympians, including Caeleb Dressel and Bobby Finke. Mangus said both Olympians had ties to Florida Swimming and the committee wanted to feature them. 

“We’d ask simple questions like their least favorite event or biggest swim ick,” Magnus said. “Parents loved seeing it, and it made the sport feel more connected.” 

He also helped create a cannonball contest on social media, where everyone could submit a video of themselves and through bracket elimination, the winner was selected and given a Florida Swimming cap. But an important part of the committee was organizing community service events. 

GIVING BACK

Magnus helped launch Florida Swimming’s first toy drive. 

It began with one location the first year, which was advertised through social media, and Magnus said it raised more than $1,000. The positive support was overwhelming, and the committee knew it had to regroup and prepare to do it again. 

The committee also earned the Civic Engagement Award by USA Swimming Representatives, which looks at athlete representatives and local swimming committees (LSC) across the country and gives the award to the LSC for its exceptional community outreach. 

The December 2025 toy drive expanded to two locations: Ocala and Orlando. Magnus was stationed at the Ocala location, helping empty out the donated toys every night and posting daily reminders on social media to hype people up for it. The second drive raised more than $1,500, which was donated to Toys for Tots. 

“We have almost doubled the toys we brought in and I got compliments from other representatives from other states saying, ‘Hey you guys did really great,’” Magnus said. “Some people were asking me how they can implement it in their state.” 

Being able to network with others was another important lesson Magnus earned in his time with the committee. He represented Florida at the national level including an annual convention in Denver and taught him how to collaborate with others to spark new ideas. 

“You can use your voice even if the audience isn’t seeing eye to eye with you,” Magnus said. “Any sort of feedback you throw in can ripple down to a bigger effect.” 

Magnus had a friend from New Jersey, who was in an underdeveloped committee, and Magnus helped to build applications and give the committee ideas. A year later, the friend told Magnus the committee was up and running, with monthly meetings and social media. 

His mentorship even came close to home when Magnus was passing along his torch as he prepared for high school graduation and the close of his two-year term. One of his club teammates was elected as Florida Swimming’s incoming Junior Athlete Representative after being mentored by Magnus through the process. 

The state-level term came to a close in the spring, but Magnus won’t be hanging up his leadership hat just yet. 

He has transitioned into a national leadership position with USA Swimming’s Development Committee. In the role, he now will help represent more than 2,800 clubs and more than 300,000 athletes nationwide. 

“I felt well prepared,” he said of the new role. “Florida Swimming is one of the stronger and more organized local swim committees, so working there really helped prepare me for the national level.” 

TAKING TO THE SKIES

Magnus, who graduated from Lake Minneola Friday, May 15, is preparing for his newest challenge beyond swimming: flight school. 

This summer, he will attend a three-week aviation academy at Schreiner University in Texas. The days will be structured and long, beginning at 5 a.m. with an hour for breakfast before three hours of simulation time, three hours of flying time and classroom instruction. He said the academy fully plans the 21-day schedule, but it’s a regiment he is used to from high school. 

“I’m looking forward to the people,” he said. “There will be students from different countries and different states all working together for the same goal.” 

His long-term goal is to become a commercial pilot, which was inspired by an aviation class he took his sophomore year of high school. 

After the academy, he will attend Lake-Sumter State College, while also attending flight school. Magnus is looking to earn his private pilot license in just a few months after the academy before he becomes a certified instructor, but along the way he’s focused on enjoying his time, even though it will be busy. 

“You’re only a kid once,” he said. “I want to soak in these years, even though they’re going to be very time intensive.”