By Emily Thirion, Swimming World College Intern.
Swimming is such a multi-faceted sport. You will grow and adapt to challenges faced throughout your swimming career as you develop and advance in your training, but even the top caliber swimmers had to start somewhere. There are a series of bedrock milestones that form the foundation of our shared experience as swimmers.
These are the memories that will be embedded in our minds far past the time when we hang up our caps and goggles. Without further ado, here are six major swimming milestones that stick with us forever.
1). Your first finals
Photo Courtesy: Hayley Good
Many swimmers begin competing at an early age. Your first finals can be really truly overwhelming, especially as a youngster. Finals swimming introduces you to a whole slew of new elements of the sport: ready rooms, a slow walk-out, booming music overhead, and loads more media coverage than a prelim. It’s hard to forget your first race on such a stage.
2). Your first team road trip
Photo Courtesy: Paul Waas
Oftentimes, being a competitive swimmer allows you the unique experience of traveling the country amongst fellow athletes and coaches. As you begin to achieve different cut times and USA swimming standards, opportunities to go to larger, more competitive meets will become readily available. Usually, these meets aren’t close to home and require you to travel to attend. This is a great way to forge bonds with teammates, learn from new coaches, and often is your first taste of a freedom and fun away from your parents.
3). Your first time swimming on a relay
Photo Courtesy: Megan Zarriello
This is the first moment your teammates are truly counting on you to “get the job done.” With packed stands, the crowd roaring and your blood rushing, this is the instance every swimmer dreams about. This is high stakes, and you have a shot at honor and glory for your club. No matter the outcome, it’s a feeling that sticks with you throughout the remainder of your time in the sport.
4). Your first disqualification
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
This is one of the not-so-good memories of swimming that gets seared into your brain. Odds are this happened when you were little. You left everything you had in the pool, giving it your all, expecting to see a best time on the scoreboard – only to be greeted by a stern looking official donned in white. They tell you it was all for naught. Whether it be for flinching in the take-your-mark position or a non-continuous turn, getting disqualified stinks. But the consolation in this is that getting DQd provides a learning experience. And odds are, this emphasis on what went wrong will stop you from making the same mistake in the future.
5). Your first big step back from the sport
Photo Courtesy: Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO
Athletes put a pause on swimming for a variety of reasons. Whether it be burnout or injury, at some point, every swimmer takes a significant break from the pool. The sport is physically grueling, mentally taxing, and has a hazy “off season” at best. So taking a step back the water can be rejuvenating, if not a little foreign. On your break you might wake up in a blind sweat early one morning thinking you forgot to set an alarm, or you may feel guilty one afternoon for hanging out with friends after school instead of heading to practice. Believe it or not, the novelty of “doing nothing” wears off fairly quickly, and you’ll be chomping at the bit to get back into the pool before long.
6). Your first perfect race
Photo Courtesy: University of Mary Washington Athletics/ PerfectShot
It’s almost mythic the first time everything seamlessly come together for you. The perfect race. This is the instance when all of your hard work pays off. This is what racing should feel like every time you step up on the blocks but in reality occurs very seldom. It’s a hard feeling to describe but not one you could ever forget.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.