Before the buzzer cracked through the aquatic center, freshman Mason Wallis stepped up on the block for his first high school swim meet. He wasn’t thinking about anything, except swimming a solid race and finishing strong.
As the buzzer sounded, he dove into the water, being swallowed by a rush of bubbles. Suddenly, his teammates watched the scoreboard flash something no one expected this early in the season:
Wallis had broken the one-minute mark in the 100 freestyle on his very first try. He stood there shocked, knowing he has reached a landmark many swimmers spend years chasing.
But this wasn’t just a milestone. For Wallis, now a senior captain on the swim team, it was the moment he realized swimming wasn’t just a sport he grew up with, it was becoming something he was built for. That race set the tone for his swimming career.
Wallis’ life in the water started long before that race. At age six, his mom had a vivid dream that he and his brothers drowned, and from that moment, she made sure all of them learned how to swim. What started as a protective skill quickly turned into passion. Wallis kept swimming because he was good at it, and because each year he found a new reason to stay in the pool.
Over the next 10 years, he moved between several clubs, learning new styles and training techniques. During this time, his athleticism grew through other sports like lacrosse, basketball, golf, and football with his friends, which contributed to his strength as a swimmer.
But with being naturally talented came pressure.
“I’ve done well for so many years, and so for me it’s like a fear of disappointment,” Wallis said.
With that fear fueling him, Wallis is determined to meet his goal of breaking Highland’s record in the 100 backstroke, a high 52 held by his older brother, and leave behind a legacy defined by effort. So far, his fastest race is the 100 backstroke, where he has hit a striking 54.5. He swims sprint backstroke and freestyle, though Highland swim coach Sydney Havell encourages everyone to try every race at least once. Last year, he competed at state in both the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke.
Wallis typically trains between 2,000 to 3,000 yards a day, as he is committed to complete every yard and every set.
“When I first started, it was easy for me to try and skip yards and skip some of the set, but now it’s something that I’m better at,” Wallis said.
For Wallis, skipping steps isn’t an option, as he does not want to fall short of the standard he sets for himself.
Early morning practices aren’t his favorite, but he sees their value.
“It helps prepare you for a race that you might not like,” Wallis said. “And when you’re uncomfortable in a race, you’re ready for that because you’ve experienced it before.”
Being uncomfortable becomes a part of the training, and strength comes when athletes push through the discomfort. Havell has seen his growth firsthand.
“He’s always just been one of those stellar kids who does what he’s supposed to do and works hard,” Havell said. “As he’s grown up, he’s gotten stronger and more athletic, and so his swimming has improved.”
Last season, Wallis faced one of his toughest setbacks when he got the flu, pneumonia, and mononucleosis all at once. Coming back from feeling so sick and weak was rough, especially during the middle of the season when state was approaching. He had to rebuild his strength and confidence all while trying to get back into racing shape.
“It was really hard for me to get back into practice after being super sick,” Wallis said.
For swimmers, who practice in the early mornings, fatigue can haunt them during the school day. So, Wallis has to be extra diligent in school. For Wallis, that means cutting back on video games, setting boundaries with friends, and staying up late writing essays just to keep up.
One nice thing for Wallis and the other swimmers is that he knows he and his teammates are all battling the same fatigue and pressures. They are all close, something Wallis believes Havell has helped create.
“I think coach Havell has done a really good job at making it a community,” Wallis said.
Swimming can be isolating — “you’re underwater half the time,” Wallis said — but the team has managed to create real connections above the surface.
That freshman year was a major turning point for Wallis. He did not qualify for state, but that disappointment pushed him. He didn’t want to feel that again, and it made him approach swimming with a new intensity.
“I think swimming is a sport that’s really hard to stay motivated, but for me, I like making goals so that I have something to work for,” Wallis said.
Before races, he thinks about the hours he’s putting in, wanting to honor what he has done.
Afterward, he wants to know he did his best.
“I just want to give it my all and leave it all in the pool,” Wallis said.
Wallis qualified for the state finals last season, and now that the team is in 4A instead of 5A, he sees even bigger opportunities ahead. Wallis plans to go to college, though he’s not sure he’ll swim there yet.
His long-term goals are clear: break the school record, continue to build confidence, and possibly continue swimming after high school. As a captain, he hopes to be remembered as someone who never gave up. Someone who always finished every set so matter how tired.
And for his mom, learning to stay afloat in the water.
