Winter Haven Swimmer Jordan Kendall Picks USMMA

Wed. December 19, 2012 at 3:00 a.m. | By Solange Reyner

Jordan Kendall, a two-time state swimming qualifier from Winter Haven, will attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy next Fall.

The sophomore has already completed his high school degree, mostly through home school and college courses, and will be eligible for the USMMA when he turns 17 in April. Kendall will eventually join his older brother, Luke, in the military. Luke is in the Marine Corps.

Kendall, who made it to the state meet this year in the 500 freestyle and the 100 backstroke, chose the USMMA over the Coast Guard.

"Everywhere else I looked you're stuck in one branch," Kendall said over the phone Monday afternoon. "If you go to the USMMA, you have so many options. You can commission into any of the other branches as an officer and you don't have to choose until late junior year or senior year. That's what is unique about this academy."

Kendall will swim for the USMMA, too, a regimen he doesn't expect to be easy considering the academic strain.

"It's a lot of academics and a lot of physical training but I'm up for it," he said.

The USMMA is based in Kings Point, NY. Students are trained in services related to the marine industry.