With water as his second home, senior Lucas Feng has spent his life showcasing his strides in the pool. His relentless determination and unwavering commitment to swimming cultivated in historic achievements: breaking the Millard North’s 100 backstroke school record, all the relay records, and being top ten in multiple events.
Once the race was over, Feng glanced at the clock and knew his name would be in school history. The feeling was not only of excitement, but also of relief.
“I knew I was fully capable of breaking the record from the times I had been putting up in practice, but having everything go right—not getting sick, sleeping well, and executing my race plan—were all things that had to line up,” Feng said.
Growing up in Miami, water was a big part of Feng’s life, and swimming was just an extension of having fun. Overtime, his childhood pastime developed into a competitive spirit, with his mindset and training evolving along the way.
“As a young swimmer, my training had always been focused on improving myself and making sure I consistently got better as an individual. As I matured, I realized that I had a role in motivating others and pushing my teammates in practice just as much as I pushed myself,” Feng said.
Yet, his impact on the team extends beyond the school record board. Millard North Swim Coach Andy Cunningham has seen how Lucas’ work ethic and leadership has set a standard for his peers.
“[Lucas] has taken full responsibility for his success. He has embraced the daily challenge. He challenges himself to be better and the other swimmers see that. He wants to always perform at his best. He does not settle for subpar swims,” Cunningham said.
Despite his success, Feng’s journey has not come without its struggles. There were moments where he even wanted to quit the sport and take a break, but he understood that perseverance mattered more than frustration.
“I wanted to quit on a daily basis, whether it was from jumping into a cold pool at 5:15 AM or enduring a grueling set with no energy left. But what kept me going was the understanding that my times at the end of the season wouldn’t care how I felt in the moment. This mindset pushed me to lean into the pain and embrace the discomfort” Feng said.
His commitment and hard work ultimately paid off. His teammate, senior Grant Inman, witnessed first hand the dedication that led to his success.
“There was New Year’s Day practice and we weren’t really supposed to have a hard practice, but Lucas worked very hard that day while everyone else wanted to take it easy and chill out. He always wanted to do the hard stuff and work harder than everyone else,” Inman said.
Through ups and downs, Lucas has always found a way to push forward. He has been able to show his resilience and adapt to various situations.
“He and I have worked together to allow him to excel outside the pool. 4.0 GPA, All state orchestra 4 years, on the podium at state all 4 years, IB program, and more. He has learned how to balance it all and succeed.” said Cunningham.
Beyond his own training, Feng’s presence has helped cultivate a culture of excellence within the swim team. He was not only a competitor, but a friend, teammate, and mentor for the younger swimmer who looked up to him, making many memories along the way.
“Getting all the three relay school records is very memorable, and hanging out, doing karaoke, having matching rapper t-shirts. There were so many fun memories. To me, Lucas contributed a great friendship, he was a great leader, and he was just awesome and fun to be around,” Inman said.
Throughout his time as a swimmer, Lucas has grown a lot, understanding that his journey meant more than just results.
“The most defining moment in my swimming career was the moment my career ended. Only then could I truly recognize the journey that I had embarked on the past 12 years and how immensely this sport had shaped who I am,” Feng said.
Now as his swimming career comes to an end, Feng is looking ahead to new passions. He plans to transition to track while preparing for college, carrying with him the lesson’s he’s learned from the pool.
“Swimming has shaped how I approach every aspect of life, understanding how resilience, failure, and hard work is a part of learning and improving as an individual. It has also helped me develop friendships and given me experiences I will never forget,” Feng said.
Even though he’ll step away from competitive swimming, Feng’s impact will remain. His dedication, resilience, and love for the sport will make him go down as one of the greatest in Millard North history.