Varsity Blues swimmer Andrew Herman finds strength in family legacy, national ambition

Andrew Herman’s path to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues swim team was anything but traditional. The Los Angeles-born swimmer started his post-secondary career at York University, but a deep family connection and a post-COVID sense of purpose eventually led him to the pool at the University of Toronto — following in the footsteps of his mother, a former Canadian Olympian.

“My mom actually swam for Byron [MacDonald] back in the day,” said Herman, referring to the decorated Varsity Blues coach. 

“She was a two-time flyer, I believe in 1988 in Korea. I definitely look up to her and strive to be as hardworking as she was in swimming.”

Though his mother is originally from Toronto, Herman grew up in California, where swimming outdoors was the norm. But it wasn’t until the pandemic disrupted his high school career that his goals began to crystallize.

“I really didn’t swim that much during COVID,” Herman said. 

“I missed almost a year and a half of the most important fundamental aspects of swimming. But once I saw the vision, I was fixated on it.”

That vision led him to York for his first year, before transferring to Toronto to train under the same coaches who had mentored his mother. It also connected him with Olympians like Finlay Knox and Blake Tierney from the University of British Columbia, which he said, is proof of the calibre of talent in U SPORTS.

“It was extra special this year because of the competitors I was racing against,” Herman said.

“There’s Olympians now. I think it’s great to be racing these high-level athletes. It shows what’s possible in the sport.”

Herman helped the Varsity Blues win back-to-back U SPORTS national titles, including the 2024 championship at home in Toronto. His success, he says, comes from more than just training, but also the mental side of the sport.

“Everyone trains hard. Everyone shows up,” he said. 

“But it’s the mental aspect of being present and overcoming challenging parts in a practice or a race. I’m still learning how to mentally swim.”

That learning comes with support. From his mother, who remains his number one mentor even from California, and from teammates like fellow swimmer, Ben Lowen.

“When I was at York, I was afraid to talk to him,” Herman said. 

“Now we race in practice, we talk after, and he’s helped me a lot. Having someone in person makes a big difference.”

The connection with coaches has also been key. Herman doesn’t hesitate to speak up when training needs to be adjusted. With the recent addition of 50-metre events to the world championship program, he’s been advocating for more sprint work.

“I went to Byron and said, ‘I think I need more sprint training,’” he said. 

“If you’re not open with your coach, how does he know what you want to do? I’m very thankful for the coaching staff here. Byron, Linda, Cam, Gal, and Coach Daniel in the weight room. Without them, I wouldn’t be here.”

Now studying kinesiology, Herman hopes to one day pursue physical therapy. Courses like motor learning, anatomy and psychology have piqued his academic interest, and he believes in aligning passion with preparation.

“It’s not about being satisfied,” he said. 

“You’ve always got to look to elevate yourself.”

That attitude fuels his next target of qualifying for the world championships team this summer. And beyond that, the biggest goal of all: the Olympic Games.

“Ultimately, if I made the Olympic team, I would call that a success,” he said. 

“But I think just staying motivated and not giving up is being successful. You don’t have to win to be successful. As long as you’re putting in effort, I think you are.”