Lehigh University Athletics
Traditions of Excellence: Justin White #COMPETITIVENESS
12/3/2014 3:06:00 PM | Student Athlete
Hey Lehigh Fam! Last week Cassie introduced you all to our "mini individual series". She kicked it off with an awesome article featuring Josh Parris and today I would like to introduce you to a fellow Chicagoan, Justin White, from our Men's Swimming and Diving Team. Justin has been identified by coaches, teammates, and others as an individual that brings energy and a competitive edge to most things that he does. He believes that this drive has helped him to reach his goals and is learning how to use it effectively to help his team. I hope you enjoy the manuscript of my one-on-one sit down with Justin!
Â
Much Love,
Walsh
Â
Walsh: How do you define competitiveness?
Justin: Just the raw desire to win. There is nothing else you care about except being in first place and you will do anything to get there and take all the sacrifices that you need to say that you are a champion.
Â
Walsh: Do you think competitiveness is contagious? If so, how?
Justin: Absolutely. I think that when you see someone else jazzed up and just into it, you almost have to be that pumped up and get on their level. You want to be with your team and share the energy. It's so much more powerful.
Â
Walsh: Do you think competitiveness can be developed?
Justin: I think that competitiveness can be developed to certain extent. There is definitely a cap. I think that when you are put in situations and you're not a stereotypically competitive person, that yes you can step up to be competitive and want to beat the other person. But sometimes it's just who you are; it's a true defining characteristic that takes you to another level. It's like adrenaline where you can do crazy things that you never thought you could do.
Â
Walsh: How do you use your competitive drive to motivate your teammates in a positive way?
Justin: Something we have been working with on our team is getting the energy rolling right from the start. The first event of every meet sets the tone, so even if you lose and you have so much energy behind it. If you win, you're just so pumped up and it leads into the next person and then you cheer for other people. It just gets crazy. I make sure that every time I do well in a race that I'm super pumped up, cheering on my teammates, and spreading that energy. I let the competitiveness build up and never let it fall down.
Â
Walsh: How do you keep up your competitive stamina? How do you keep yourself diligent, focused, and relentless in academics and athletics everyday?
Justin: To keep up my stamina, I definitely take personal time where I don't think about swimming or I don't think about school and I just decompress. Just me time. Sometimes in swimming you can burn out just like that. For example, this summer I woke up, swam, worked as a swim coach, went to another swim practice, lifted, went to class, and then went home and slept. That's all I did all week and by August I was just so done. I realized that you have to take pauses and take me time.
In school, I stay diligent by going to the library for two and a half hours, regardless if I have work or not. Maybe I can get ahead on a paper or get something done for Monday when it's Wednesday. It helps me a lot to just go. I'm in an academically stimulating place, not just in my room falling asleep. I'm in some place where I actually could do work.
Â
Walsh: How do you identify a teammate who is in the red on the commitment continuum and how do you pull them into the green with you?
Justin: Swimming is such a mental game so we do a lot of visualization and work with psychologists to mellow ourselves out. When I see someone who is in their head or reluctant I just kind of let them go and wait for an opportunity to jump in. If you jump in right away you might get cut off. When I see the opportunity I start by asking what's wrong and remind them that the team needs them and turn their attention to how many points they can still score. About 90% of the time they snap out of it, but if they are still stuck then I bring another person into it and both of us approach this person. Sometimes they begin to see that "Whoa it's just me, I'm just in my head". It's important to get down to the core before you assume things and try to guess what's wrong. You have to rationalize and be empathetic.
Â
Walsh: What is a quote about competitiveness that has inspired you throughout your athletic career?
Justin: "There is a moment when everything you have ever wanted collides with everything standing in your way and the only thing you can count on is yourself."
Â
Â
Much Love,
Walsh
Â
Walsh: How do you define competitiveness?
Justin: Just the raw desire to win. There is nothing else you care about except being in first place and you will do anything to get there and take all the sacrifices that you need to say that you are a champion.
Â
Walsh: Do you think competitiveness is contagious? If so, how?
Justin: Absolutely. I think that when you see someone else jazzed up and just into it, you almost have to be that pumped up and get on their level. You want to be with your team and share the energy. It's so much more powerful.
Â
Walsh: Do you think competitiveness can be developed?
Justin: I think that competitiveness can be developed to certain extent. There is definitely a cap. I think that when you are put in situations and you're not a stereotypically competitive person, that yes you can step up to be competitive and want to beat the other person. But sometimes it's just who you are; it's a true defining characteristic that takes you to another level. It's like adrenaline where you can do crazy things that you never thought you could do.
Â
Walsh: How do you use your competitive drive to motivate your teammates in a positive way?
Justin: Something we have been working with on our team is getting the energy rolling right from the start. The first event of every meet sets the tone, so even if you lose and you have so much energy behind it. If you win, you're just so pumped up and it leads into the next person and then you cheer for other people. It just gets crazy. I make sure that every time I do well in a race that I'm super pumped up, cheering on my teammates, and spreading that energy. I let the competitiveness build up and never let it fall down.
Â
Walsh: How do you keep up your competitive stamina? How do you keep yourself diligent, focused, and relentless in academics and athletics everyday?
Justin: To keep up my stamina, I definitely take personal time where I don't think about swimming or I don't think about school and I just decompress. Just me time. Sometimes in swimming you can burn out just like that. For example, this summer I woke up, swam, worked as a swim coach, went to another swim practice, lifted, went to class, and then went home and slept. That's all I did all week and by August I was just so done. I realized that you have to take pauses and take me time.
In school, I stay diligent by going to the library for two and a half hours, regardless if I have work or not. Maybe I can get ahead on a paper or get something done for Monday when it's Wednesday. It helps me a lot to just go. I'm in an academically stimulating place, not just in my room falling asleep. I'm in some place where I actually could do work.
Â
Walsh: How do you identify a teammate who is in the red on the commitment continuum and how do you pull them into the green with you?
Justin: Swimming is such a mental game so we do a lot of visualization and work with psychologists to mellow ourselves out. When I see someone who is in their head or reluctant I just kind of let them go and wait for an opportunity to jump in. If you jump in right away you might get cut off. When I see the opportunity I start by asking what's wrong and remind them that the team needs them and turn their attention to how many points they can still score. About 90% of the time they snap out of it, but if they are still stuck then I bring another person into it and both of us approach this person. Sometimes they begin to see that "Whoa it's just me, I'm just in my head". It's important to get down to the core before you assume things and try to guess what's wrong. You have to rationalize and be empathetic.
 Walsh: What is a quote about competitiveness that has inspired you throughout your athletic career?
Justin: "There is a moment when everything you have ever wanted collides with everything standing in your way and the only thing you can count on is yourself."
Â
Undergraduate Commencement
Sunday, May 17
Graduate Commencement and Doctoral Hooding
Saturday, May 16
2026 Convocation Awards Ceremony
Thursday, May 07
2025-2026 Top Moments
Thursday, May 07
