The Biggest Change that College Swimmers Face – Their Priorities
One of the biggest regrets that many college student-athletes face after they graduate is wishing that they had done things a little differently, tried a little harder and cared a little more. Adjusting from high school to college is very different for most people. High school students go from living under the same roof as their family to living on their own with their best friends. As you can imagine, the behaviors, habits and priorities of college students will sometimes shift a little bit without their parents’ constant supervision.
Recently, my college swim coach, Mason Norman, shared the best question that a high school recruit has ever asked him. She asked: “What is the biggest change for athletes from high school to college?” This question really got him thinking about the many changes and tasks that athletes face when transitioning from high school to college, but when it all came down to it, his answer was quite simple. He replied: “Their priorities.”
Often, high school student-athletes are looking to be the best they can be in the classroom, as well as in the pool. Their goal is to work hard and perform well in hopes of it being enough to get recruited by their dream schools. By the time those same athletes get to college, they may feel a sense of relief because they made it. They worked so hard and achieved their goal to swim in college.
This is where the priority shift is made either for the better, or for the worse. College is such a fun and exciting experience and only some individuals truly know how to balance the multitude of demands on their plate. Some swimmers will make it to college and remain hungry for more. They will still set goals that they will continue to work toward achieving. On the other hand, some athletes will get to college and remain satisfied with where they are as an athlete. They might become more focused on the other exciting things that college has to offer, and that is OK! Although, from a coach’s perspective, that is not exactly what they want to see happen. It is hard for a coach to see someone who they really wanted to watch flourish let their potential go to waste.
Not only do high school athletes face a shift within their priorities when entering college, but college seniors face a similar transition when it comes to starting to focus on life in the real world. As senior year approaches, athletes begin to job search and interview and are, therefore, faced with the same challenge of balancing the priorities of academics and athletics, as well beginning their professional life. Focusing on life after college is a very necessary aspect to put time and effort into. Some seniors face the problem of feeling checked out once they reach this point in their athletic career, while other seniors manage to stay focused for their last season.
So many graduated student-athletes wish they had done more with their sport once it’s too late. Whether they started to check out in the beginning of their college career, or toward the end during their senior year, these athletes may look back and wish that they worked harder, cared more and prioritized their sport better. Mindset shifts are bound to happen. It’s inevitable. It is the way that athletes, like college swimmers, deal with these barriers that allow them to feel no regrets once they are retired from their sport.