Phil Scholz starts every swim race at a disadvantage - the walk-on freshman from Loyola (Maryland) can't see.

Scholz has suffered a series of illnesses in his life, including a tear of his left retina when he was 6-years-old. When he was 12, he contracted cataracts in his right eye and was declared legally blind.

But Scholz never wanted to be anything but normal, and for him, sports were normal. He wasn't going to be able to play baseball or football with neighborhood kids, but swimming seemed like a pretty good option.

Scholz picked up swimming when he was in middle school and quickly began to excel in the sport. When it came time for college, Scholz needed to find a place where he could continue to pursue his passion.

In his first college race December 1, Scholz set eight American Paralympic Records. He has set three more records since that meet and was named Division I swimmer of the week for the second week of December.

Scholz can't see the water before he jumps off the blocks, can't see the wall when a turn is approaching and can't see where he stacks up against his fellow competitors during a race. But none of that has ever stopped the kid from Long Island.

Scholz may never win an individual national championship at the Division I level, but he is certainly an integral member of the Loyola program. He won't ever see his coach or teammates, but rest assured, they smile when they see him in the pool every day.