By Haley Wen, Swimming World College Intern
Whether it’s a club team championship, a high school state swim meet, the NCAA championship, or a Master’s meet, every swimmer will have a last swim meet of their career. It comes around for every person, no matter how much they love swimming. Facing this last meet can be daunting.
Any meet has the potential to be nerve-racking, but the last one can be especially so. You’re facing goals you may not have accomplished, the sadness of leaving a sport you love, and the challenge of a new lifestyle. All of this can make it hard to focus on doing your best, so here are five tips to help any swimmer make the most of their last meet.
1) Talk about your feelings before your last swim meet.
Photo Courtesy: Dennis Wen
Don’t bottle up your feelings! Find a trusted someone with whom you can unload your thoughts before you get to the swim meet. It could be your parents, your teammates, your coach, or even a journal. Talking about the complex mix of emotions you’re experiencing can help you get a better handle on it all and allow you to feel more calm and focused going into the meet.
2) Support your teammates.
Photo Courtesy: Emily Cheng
This is your last chance to bask in the glory of a team environment. Sure, you might work on a team in a career, but you probably won’t be at your coworkers’ desks screaming encouragement for them at the top of your lungs as they’re working on a presentation. When you’re not racing or getting ready to race, make sure that you’re at the end of your teammates’ lanes taking advantage of your last chance to yell as loud as your can for them.
3) Eliminate distractions.
Photo Courtesy: Stephen Carr
Just like at any other meet, make sure you aren’t on your phone the whole time. Try your best to have all your homework done in advance so that you don’t need to worry about it. If you eliminate distractions, then you will be better able to tune into what’s going on around you. Watch heats that don’t have any of your teammates. Say hi to officials and thank them for their work. Meet new people on different teams. There’s a lot that goes on at a swim meet, and this is your last chance to soak it all in.
4) Get back in the pool after your last race.
Photo Courtesy: Dennis Wen
You don’t have to warm down, but hop back in the pool one last time. Take a moment to memorize how your body feels in the water. All swimmers know that it only takes a few days to lose the feel of the water, and even if you’re planning on swimming for exercise later in life, it’s likely that you will never feel this elite in the water again. Take a moment to enjoy it.
5) Thank your coaches, friends and family.
Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien
This one is self explanatory. These are the people who supported you all along your crazy swimming journey. Now that it has come to an end, make sure to let them all know how much you appreciate them. No one makes it anywhere in life alone.
Approaching your last meet ever can be terrifying. Like many other swimmers, it’s likely you’ve been doing this for decades, or perhaps your whole life. It’s okay to be scared, sad, nervous and whatever mix of emotions you’re feeling. It’s important not to let those feelings get in the way of having the time of your life doing the sport that you love.
-All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Why have a last swim meet? I’ve been swimming competitively for over 50 years, I remember my first meet at the old Belmont Plaza pool in 1967 when it first opened. Swimming has taken me around the world for competitions, as an AAU(USASwimming), College and now as a masters swimmer. I happily look forward to another 50 years of swimming and swim meets, and then forever when I go to the big pool in the sky.