For many students graduating, their final year of high school is one of the most memorable moments of their lives, with so many incredible opportunities within reach.
Which college will you go to? What will you major in? What city will you live in? What will your life be like once the safety net of high school is removed and you can step into the real world?
With these questions and opportunities come decisions, some easy and some not.
For Foundation Academy graduating senior Emma Sundermeyer, one of the biggest decisions she had to make during her final year of high school had nothing to do with which school to attend or what major to choose.
No, the future University of Alabama swimmer was faced with a unique decision: attend her high school graduation or cross the northern U.S. border to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris this summer as part of Canada's national swimming team.
Decision
“It was a pretty hard decision,” Sundermeyer said. “At first I wasn't going to go. I was like, 'No, I'm not going. I think I should go to graduation instead.' I was having the most amazing senior year and I didn't want to miss this moment and leave my friends. I wanted to go to graduation. I wanted to finish my senior year like everyone else.”
But as the Olympic Trials in Toronto approached, Sundermeyer realized the chance to compete at the highest level of the sport she loves was a special opportunity.
“We talked with Emma in the fall and left the decision entirely up to her,” said Emma's father, Chad Sundermeyer. “We never thought she'd miss graduation. … But then around Christmas, she came to me and my wife and said she thought she was going to swim meets but not graduation. It was a bit of a shock to us, but we told her to think it through and pray about it.” And that's exactly what the foundation's star swimmer did.
“I thought about it over and over and decided that this is a once in a lifetime experience,” Emma Sundermeyer said. “Not everyone gets to participate, so I'm honored to have the opportunity to participate. Of course, graduating is great, but the opportunity to compete in the Olympics is even bigger to me. I knew this was a dream and not something I should miss out on.”
So with the support of her parents and Foundation Academy administration, who helped her host a remote graduation ceremony for Sundermyers High School, the soon-to-be Foundation High School graduate embarked on the journey to North America.
“We met with Foundation School Principal Sarah Reynolds and she and the entire school administration were 100% supportive of Emma's decision and shared with us how we could easily celebrate her graduation remotely, and they were more than happy to oblige,” Chad Sundermeyer said. “She was like, 'Yes, this is definitely the right decision for me,' so we decided to do a trial and got started.”
For Chad Sundermeyer, his daughter's decision to pursue this experience was one he wished she had chosen.
“My wife and I were fully supportive of whatever decision Emma made, but deep down we hoped she would choose to compete in the trials,” he said. “We thought it would be a great experience for her, not just for the 2024 Olympics, but for her to be involved in the sport of swimming for many years to come. … But from her perspective, she had such a fun high school experience and she didn't want to give that up for a swim meet. But it was. So we were very, very happy to hear that.”
Trials and lessons
Despite being one of the best swimmers in the state of Florida, earning a spot on the Canadian national team for the 2024 Olympics was a tall order for Sandermeyer. But the chance to compete at the sport's highest level wasn't just a fun opportunity — it was an experience that opened her eyes, motivated her and gave her confidence heading into her first season of collegiate swimming.
“I'm definitely motivated,” Emma Sundermeyer said, “It's been a really great experience in the sense that it's given me an idea of what my future holds. The trials have given me something to aim for and something to look forward to. … It's told me that maybe I can do this again in the future, and in four years I'll be even more prepared.”
But Sundermeyer didn't just travel north of the border to find motivation; he also attended trials to see how he stacked up against the best players.
Sandermeyer competed in four events – the 400m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley – and advanced to the finals in two of them, the 400m freestyle and 200m individual medley, so her decision to skip graduation was clearly justified.
“It was a really amazing experience to make it to the finals twice, and even just swimming at night was cool because there was a big crowd,” she said. “I got to see some of the swimmers who will win gold medals at the Olympics this summer, and I got to see them set world records. … It just motivates me to keep training hard so I can do this again in four years.”
Sandermeyer's father believes the chance to compete in high-leverage situations will help her as she jumps into the Crimson Tide's pool of SEC-level talent.
“What was really impressive was that the pressure was a lot more than most meets she's been in,” Chad Sundermeyer said. “It was a great experience for her going to school and swimming in the SEC. It's great for her to feel that kind of pressure in the meets she competes in. Those two finals … were a great experience for her. … I hope it helps her build on the confidence she's gained in her swimming abilities. She's grown up in her own little bubble at Foundation and in West Orange County, so I hope she goes out there and proves to herself that her hard work has paid off and that she belongs at this level now. I believe there's limitless potential for her and her abilities.”
Now Emma Sundermeyer knows she has what it takes to make the national team for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I believe I can compete in the 2028 Olympics,” she said. “With four more years of training and competition, I think I can be in a very good position to be successful in qualifying.”
With this confidence, motivation and once-in-a-lifetime experience, how does the Foundation Academy's 18-year-old graduate feel about his decision to skip graduation?
“The whole experience has been amazing,” says Emma Sundermeyer, “and I'm really glad I made the decision to take part in the trials.”
