By Julia Cunningham, Swimming World College Intern
The adventure that has been my swimming career began when I first touched the pool at six months old. Once the hardships that come with the early years of competitive swimming began, I certainly didn’t see myself continuing down the path much longer. There were many times when I never wanted to set foot on a pool deck again. From my vantage point today, two days after the last day of my second-to-last collegiate season, I wouldn’t change one step of the journey that got me here.
For those just starting down the same path or those just ending, these are my most valuable takeaways from the sport:
1. Swimming is exciting at every level.
Photo Courtesy: Julia Cunningham
Age group, high school, collegiate swimming; each has its own appeal both as a spectator and as an athlete. Over the summer I attended a USA meet as a spectator for the first time. After two years of only taking part in dual meets, I had forgotten how long and drawn out age group meets tend to be. However, once my teammates were up, cheering drew me back into the meet as though I were a participant again.
Another first over the summer: I attended the Senior Olympics with my dad as his coach. There certainly was a different vibe on deck, as many of the participants had never stepped on the blocks before or were totally unaware of how meets were supposed to be structured. Regardless, it was one of the more fun experiences I’ve had as a spectator when some of the biggest accomplishments were the 80+ year-olds finishing a 200 yard freestyle.
Just last week, women’s DI NCAAs were running concurrently to DIII NCAAs. Even as Kelsi Worrell broke an American record in the 100 fly, the Emory women’s 200 freestyle relay broke the DIII record with just as much excitement coming from the crowd in both cases. For lovers of the sport, it doesn’t matter if you’re watching an 8-year-old go a best time or you’re the 18-year-old qualifying for Olympic Trials: seeing hard work pay off is always exciting.
2. Swimming helped create who I am.
I wouldn’t have had the experiences or met the types of people who have shaped my life for the last 21 years if I were not a swimmer. Recently, an application asked me how I define a role model. Success in our sport comes down to what the clock says at the end of our race. The seconds of racing that happen after hours of training and hard work define us as athletes. I define a role model as someone who, whether or not they are successful, doesn’t offer excuses and understands that they will produce results that reflect the work they put in. If they are not successful, they own up to their mistake and try again. This definition comes entirely from my experience with the sport, and reflects how I try to live day-to-day.
3. My teammates mean everything to me.
Photo Courtesy: Anna Kuo
I extend the definition of teammates to anyone who has had a hand in my swimming career. The coaches who have instructed me, the friends and family who have fed, housed, and driven me, the friends I train next to every day and the friends I only see a few times a year when we’re competing against each other are all part of my team. Teammates aren’t there just for relays. My experiences at NCAAs the past two years are the best example of this. As the only swimmer from Vassar to qualify, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
On deck, it wasn’t going to be just me and my two coaches, however. This year, my Seven Sisters teammate Cathleen Pruden was representing Mount Holyoke while teammates from my high school were there to represent their own teams’ relays. We were able to stand behind the blocks (when we weren’t racing each other) and cheer each other on. In the stands, my Vassar teammates who lived in North Carolina drove out to be a part of the meet. From afar, friends and family were keeping in touch and cheering from behind their computer screens. There has never been a moment when I have not felt as though I am part of a team. I went to plenty of meets as an age grouper with just my dad, but even then he was part of my team. I attribute my success in the sport to the teammates who are always behind me.
Great photo
Steven Kalinich
Great pic of you, Katharine,and Emily.
Great article a good read for all swimmers
What a great inspiring story. Thanks