February 2025: Senior Swimmer of the Month: Tina Li

Tina Li joined Alto in 2023 and began her journey with the Age Group Gold program. Through her hard work, dedication, and passion for the sport, she has steadily progressed and is now training with Head Coach Laura Mitchell in the Senior 1 group. Over the course of her time at Alto, Tina has grown tremendously—not only as an athlete but also as a person and teammate.

Tina's personality leaves a lasting impact on those around her. Whether she’s pushing herself in the pool, cheering on her teammates, or sharing a laugh between sets, Tina contributes to the team culture in a meaningful way.

This season, Tina achieved a major milestone by qualifying for her first Sectionals in the 50 Free, a testament to her relentless work ethic and drive for improvement. Her commitment to the sport is evident in her impressive 90% attendance rate, demonstrating her dedication to showing up and putting in the effort each day.

We are incredibly proud of Tina’s accomplishments so far and can’t wait to see what the future holds for her. Congratulations, Tina! We look forward to many more years of watching you grow and excel in the sport of swimming.

Favorite Alto memory with teammates: Playing ddakji/card game and sharks and minnows with my teammates and swimming relays with my friends at championships. 
Best part of swimming with Alto: The team has a good atmosphere where everyone is friendly and united, which is really nice. And through daily practice and communication you can really get to know everyone you're swimming with in the group.
Funniest moment during an Alto practice: I think the funniest moment during an Alto practice is when everyone laughed in a big circle and swam backward freestyle in the water together. 
Best advice you've received from an Alto coach: The best advice I got from Coach Laura was technique tips because they helped me improve my stroke. And another piece of advice I got from Coach Laura is to cheer up after a bad race and move on. 
Pre-race routine: Eat healthy food and drink water & electrolytes to stay hydrated. Make sure to check in with your coach and warm up before you race!