To talk to Soren Alonso for two seconds flat is to understand that he’s still a work in progress. 

The Cottonwood High junior came within two-tenths of a second of winning his first state title in the 50 free at the BYU Natatorium Feb. 14, and yet he seemed to have this feeling of relief when talking to City Journals for reasons you’re soon to read about. 

“Despite not finishing first, I was glad I did way better than last year,” said Alonso after his silver at state in the 50 free. “Once I touched that wall and saw my time I felt super content with second place, as though I could die happy.”

With that performance, Alonso could look up at the wall at Cottonwood’s pool after doing a few laps and see his grandfather’s picture on a plaque smiling down on him after that silver and a fourth-place medal in the 100 free, according to his mom Corrie Alonso. 

Neither result came easy. 

When considering Alonso didn’t have a top eight finish at either race at state last year, going from nothing in hand to something to take with you forever would certainly make anyone feel pleased about their progress. Alonso wasn’t the only Colt to have had a top-eight finish—senior Jaxon Pendleton finished fourth in the 100 breaststroke and fifth in the 100 butterfly at state. As a team, the Colts were fourth in the 200 free relay and sixth in the 200 medley. 

According to Alonso himself, the results from these Colts come courtesy of one man and his assistant coaches. 

“It’s mostly Ron’s brutal swim practices, but all the coaches offer excellent advice that helps too,” said Alonso, giving a shout to Cottonwood’s head coach Ron Lockwood and staff that probably do seem a tad mean to these kids, particularly when they’re in the middle of the same ruthless workouts that helped mold Rhyan White (an AMES graduate) into an Olympic silver medalist and countless others into college swimmers. 

On that, you can be certain that picture on that plaque would approve, for he was also a Cottonwood coaching legend—and Alonso’s late grandpa. 

“Soren’s grandfather, coach Alton Clair Sorensen, had polio when he was young and was bedridden for over a year until he started swimming for therapy which led to his lifelong passion for swimming,” said Corrie Alonso. “He went on to swim for Utah State University back when they had a swim team and is in their Sports Hall of Fame.”  

Having also swam with the U.S. Army for several years, Alton Clair Sorensen later became Cottonwood’s first swim coach when it opened in 1970, a title he held until he passed away in 1998.  

“They honored his 28 years of coaching by dedicating the (Cottonwood) pool in his name. There is a picture of him and a plaque with his name that still hangs in the pool today,” Corrie Alonso said. 

In all, three Sorensens, including Corrie, went on to become state swim champions and swam in college thanks to the tutelage of coach Alton Clair Sorensen. Along with grandchildren that include Alonso and his older sisters Natty and Elora, many have experienced successes in the pool according to Corrie Alonso. Of those with family ties, Alonso and his two sisters are coach Sorensen’s only grandkids to swim as Cottonwood Colts in the very pool where their late grandfather oversaw hundreds of student-athletes. 

“We named Soren after him and are so proud to watch him carry on his legacy,” said Corrie Alonso, who added that she hopes these Colts boys can break the school record next year in the 200 free relay—they missed it this year by just .4 seconds. 

Aside from that, Alonso’s next goal, according to his mom, is a big one, indeed. 

“Next year, Soren will be trying his hardest to chase his Uncle Brian Sorensen’s—

my brother—50 free school record that has been there since 1995.”