Alexandra “Alex” Shackell, Olympic swimmer and senior, started competitive swimming when she was only 6 years old, after she said her parents had encouraged her to join. She ended up loving the sport, and now has practice 10 times every week. But while it was her parents who got her started in swimming, now she said she feels the most pressure to perform from herself.

“Obviously I want to make my family, teammates and coaches proud, but most of the pressure I feel is internal,” Shackell said.

School counselor David Mikesell said Shackell’s feeling isn’t uncommon. He said he believes that most of the pressure on a student, athlete or not, is from themselves. But while this is true, he added, another factor of stress on an athlete can be having a family member who previously played the same sport. 

“Some students might feel like they don’t have the same natural ability as the other student, and that could become demotivating, because it’s like, ‘I’m never going to be as good as my brother,’ and that could be frustrating,” Mikesell said.

While this is true, Aaron Fedorcha, junior and football player, went through a different experience. Fedorcha said he has had two older brothers who have played Carmel football.

“I’ve always looked up to my brothers. The examples they set push me to play better. My oldest brother also played and started at corner, the same position I play. There has always been a little friendly competitiveness between us, the sibling rivalry and knowing my brothers have played football has pushed me to play better.”

Despite the fact that she lives in a family of swimmers, Shackell expanded on her childhood. Growing up, she said, her dream was always to be an Olympic gold medalist.

“It’s nice to have a family that has been around the sport for so long,” Shackell said. “I always have people to talk to about and to help me find ways to improve.”

She said having family members who have swam in the past not only is supporting, but also very motivational and inspiring. She said it is what has helped her get to where she is.

“I say a lot of my drive comes from myself, but I owe a lot of it to my dad. He has helped in so many ways to reach where I am today. He, also being an Olympian, inspired me to become one as well. He never got a medal, so I always told him I would get one for him,” Shackell said.

Mikesell said having a generational sport in a family can be beneficial to an athlete.

“The plus side is if you have an older sibling who has played a particular sport, chances are you’ve been around that game, so you are more comfortable and you know what the expectations are and you are more in tune with what is going to be expected of you,” Mikesell said. “You’ve been to those venues before. You’ve seen your brother or sister compete in front of big crowds. It becomes more natural for you to be in that sport.”

Shackell’s father, former freestyle swimmer Nicholas Shackell, had been in the Olympics, and her brother, Aaron Shackell, had also been an exceptional swimmer as well. She said her family history is what inspired her to start swimming in the first place, and it was what had sparked her dream. Her passion and the environment she grew up in was what set her apart from other student athletes.

“As I grew older, I had to be willing to sacrifice things that most kids my age won’t,” Shackell said. “There’s a lot of action that goes on behind the scenes that most people don’t account for that makes the biggest difference. It’s not just what happens at practice.”

Mikesell said it just comes down to a student’s mindset and how they perceive things to determine whether or not they feel pressure from their family in a sport. 

“For some students, it’s definitely going to be a plus. ‘Hey, my older brother played, I’m going to play this sport. He’s good, I’m going to be good,’” Mikesell said. “Other students might feel like they don’t have the same natural ability as the other student, and that could become demotivating because it’s like, ‘I’m never going to be as good as my brother,’ and that could be frustrating.”

“When you have an older sibling or family member in that sport,” he added. “It really depends on the student and their own personal perception.”

“My favorite part about having a sibling on the team is sharing the experiences. I’m very fortunate to be able to play high school sports with my brothers,” Fedorcha continued. “Some of my greatest memories are when I was playing with my brothers.”