Franklin was a part of the 50th stop of the “Make A Splash” Tour. “I can’t believe this is the 50th stop. That is just crazy,” she admitted. “This is the perfect place to do it. I feel so honored to be a part of it. It is such a privilege and it’s something I am so passionate about.”
She shared that she has been an ambassador of the USA Swimming Foundation since 2015 ever since she turned professional. “I knew I wanted to be an ambassador before that,” she said. “It’s the most important work that we can do since we are literally saving lives.”
“The USA Swimming Foundation has done so much incredible work and we have such high goals for ourselves. We want to give every child the opportunity to learn to swim. That’s the amazing thing about it,” she said. “It is amazing to look back and see the progress that we’ve made with the foundation.”
When she competed professionally, Franklin noted that her motivation was derived from her passion for the sport. “I just love it,” she admitted. “That’s all I needed to be motivated. I wanted to make the most of it every single day.”
On the impact of technology on aquatics, Franklin said, “It’s crazy and amazing. The way the sport is progressing with training and different techniques is incredible. Swimming is faster than it has ever been and it still blows my mind just seeing the progress that athletes are making and it is so fun to watch.”
For young and aspiring swimmers, she encouraged them to “listen to themselves and trust themselves.” “Listen to your body. You know yourself better than anyone else. Trust your intuition,” she said.
Franklin had nothing but the kindest remarks about being a part of Josh Davis’ Breakout Swim Clinic. “It has been so much fun. Josh is such a great guy, and he has six kids, all of which are amazing,” she said. “I think we will definitely be doing more of those in the future,” she said with a sweet laugh.
The 24-year-old athlete defined the word success as “touching the wall and knowing that I gave 110 percent of my best effort.”
For more information on the USA Swimming Foundation, check out its official website and their Facebook page.
