Don’t underestimate yourself. That is the advice that senior Addie Thornburg gives to any athlete looking to chase their dreams.

Thornburg swims for the girls swim and dive team at the high school and Charles River Aquatics, with the 100 backstroke as her main event. This year, she has committed to swim for Mount Holyoke at the Division III level. Despite the difficulties of swimming, Thornburg has built a strong sense of community and competitiveness to carry with her to the next level.

Thornburg has been swimming competitively since she was seven. Thornburg said when navigating the challenges of swimming, she has relied on her long-time teammates, especially during moments when she has felt discouraged.

“It’s a hard sport, but I really do enjoy it, and I’ve made lifelong friends through it,” Thornburg said. “I still am in contact with friends that I did club with years ago. We both know that swimming’s really hard, so we have an appreciation for each other as teammates.”

Girls swim and dive head coach Matt Berry has coached Thornburg for two years. According to Berry, Thornburg’s friendly and positive attitude has led her to be a role model on the team and someone people can look to when stressed.

“She first started here her junior year, but I would have never guessed that she wasn’t at Brookline High before. Her ability to get along with nearly everybody, I think that’ll be a benefit to her on [her] college team,” Berry said.

Senior and girls swim and dive captain Gabriella El-Chemaly also said that whether Thornburg is hosting team bondings or cheering everyone on, her involvement with the team makes her stand out as a teammate.

“She’s honestly the best teammate you could ask for,” El-Chemaly said. “She’s always fun to be around, and she pushes people to do their best. She’s always gonna be the biggest supporter for the team.”

Thornburg said that the pressure to hit certain times can lead to disappointment and self-doubt.

“I have a lot of trouble comparing myself to others, especially with those who haven’t [swam], as long as I have. That’s definitely my biggest struggle, but I think it’s just a mindset of being able to say that I’ve made the goals, I’m just at a plateau right now, and I think in college, it’ll help me to get over the plateau [and reach] the goals that I’ve had,” Thornburg said.

Thornburg first heard about Mount Holyoke through her mom’s boss. During the recruiting process, she did an overnight with the team and shadowed classes. Thornburg said she was impressed by how the professors taught their courses and the way everyone seemed like they were on the track to success. She also enjoyed the team’s atmosphere.

“When I did an overnight with the team, they were all so welcoming, and so nice,” Thornburg said. “They reminded me a lot of the high school teams that I’ve been on, and they were hilarious. They all related to each other, and talked about the coaching style in a really nice way.”

Thornburg said that her parents have helped her achieve this milestone by driving her to practice as well as encouraging her to pursue swimming at the collegiate level.

“This year, my mom works on the complete other side of Boston, and she’s worked her hardest to get me to practices,” Thornburg said. “She’s definitely been my biggest motivator to continue with swimming. My dad was the one that was like: I think you should definitely swim in college.”

Reflecting on her high school career, Thornburg said she was most proud of competing at States her freshman through senior year. According to Berry, this is a measure of her dedication.

“This year, when she qualified for States again, it really showed how she never gave up,” Berry said. “She was so close all season, and she really pulled it together when she had to.”

Thornburg said she has wanted to swim in college since the end of her sophomore year. She applied Early Decision to Mount Holyoke and received a call from the team’s swim coach, who told her that she had been accepted.

“I had my heart set on Mount Holyoke,” Thornburg said. “It wasn’t a hard decision.”