A Champion Beyond the Waves: A Dive Into the Life of Regan Smith
Dive into the swimming world, and you’ll find an incandescent star in the form of Regan Smith. From humble beginnings, engaging in swimming lessons until the age of eight, to now claiming the podium with her collection of Olympic and World Championships medals, Smith’s journey has been as dynamic as it’s been spectacular.
Now the American-record holder in the 200-meter butterfly, she stands on the precipice of the Phillips 66 National Championships in Indianapolis, just two weeks away. In a recent in-depth interview, she discussed the chapters of her life, detailing her swimming inception, how she manages the intense pressure of her elite status, and the life-altering lessons she learned in her years immersed in the sport.
In a swimming world awash with talent, Regan Smith is an undeniable force of nature, with a compelling personal story that matches her breathtaking speed in the water.
What initially attracted you to swimming as a sport? Was there a specific moment or influence that inspired you to begin swimming?
“My parents put me and my older sister in swimming lessons when I was two years old, just for water safety. My parents wanted me to try everything, so growing up I did soccer, gymnastics, basketball, swimming, and piano lessons. I really enjoyed swimming and I stuck with swimming lessons for a long time. I did those until I was almost eight years old. My sister is five years older than me and she was in middle school and she joined her middle school swim team. She did competitions with her team and she loved it. As a younger sister, you know, younger siblings always just want to copy what their older siblings are doing, so I always just kind of wanted to do what she was doing. I begged my parents to put me on a swim team instead of just doing swimming lessons. They were against the idea at first and it took a lot of begging but they eventually let me do it. I guess the rest is history, so I always owe my start with swimming to my sister.”
How do you handle nerves or pressure before a big meet? Do you have any rituals or techniques that help you to stay focused?
“Nerves and pressure before meets is something that I’ve struggled with for most of my swimming career. I think what gives me a lot of confidence is just believing in the work that I’ve put in all season. Being with a coach and a program that I believe in and that I know I’m getting work done in helps me feel the most confident. This past year, I’ve never felt better in practice. I know I’ve never worked harder in my life and I just feel like I’ve done a complete 180 from where I was at this time a year ago. Recently, whenever I go into a meet, whether it be to the TYR Pro Series or US Open or Trials here in a few weeks, I just gonna remember all of the hard work that I’ve put in. I’m trusting my training, trusting myself, and trusting my talent. Something that I’ve started doing since being with Bob (Bowman) is every day at the end of the day, right before I go to bed, I’ll write down the practices that I did in a little notebook. Before any swim meet that I have, I’ll go back and I’ll read through some of those practices. At the bottom of each page, I’ll write something that I did really well that day in practice. I always want to end things on a positive note. So then when I go back and I read through all of those great things that I did, it helps give me some extra encouragement. It lets me know that I’ve got this and I don’t need to let any of the negative thoughts get into my head because the work is done and it’s right there on paper.”
What’s the most unexpected or unique hobby that you have outside of swimming?
“I love doing mundane things around my house. It brings me so much joy to cook a fun meal or catch up on all my chores and get my laundry done or run errands. I know that sounds silly, but I’m at an interesting point in my life where I’m kind of an adult but I’m kind of not. I’m not in college, but swimming is my job. I have an apartment and I’m living by myself so this has been a very interesting transitional year for me where I’ve just been practicing being an adult and I honestly haven’t even felt like I’ve needed to have different hobbies or niches to keep me busy. I feel like I’m staying so busy doing my things around my apartment. I’m sure that will change in a year, but right now I’m practicing being responsible and independent.”
What’s the most valuable lesson that you’ve learned from swimming?
“I think I’ve learned a lot about the importance of hard work and time management. I’m sure this is a very general answer and I think a lot of people would say that about swimming, but truly I’m so grateful that I’ve dedicated my life to something that’s so difficult. I feel like I can do anything because of it. Swimming is such an intense, grueling sport and since it’s not a team sport and you can’t hear anyone else while you’re swimming, training, or competing, you’re really just in your own mind. I think it teaches you a lot about mental toughness that no other sport can. I’m really grateful for swimming for that reason.”
What type of music or songs do you like to listen to when preparing for swim meets?
“Before the races themselves, I don’t like to listen to anything. I really enjoy feeding off of the crowd instead, but I do love music. I’m all over the place with my music. I think it definitely depends on what I’m feeling. For example, Stranger Things has helped me form an appreciation for 80s music. I like rap and I like a bunch of different artists. I don’t think I have an absolute favorite artist, but I like most popular music. I’m not super well versed in my music. Some people are music junkies and that’s not totally me. I just like something with a good beat that’ll get me motivated and hyped up.”
If you could watch one TV show or movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
“My absolute favorite show is Stranger Things, but I feel like there are not enough episodes to just cycle through that show forever. I also love SpongeBob, but I feel like SpongeBob episodes are so short. I would probably say something like Friends or The Office because there are a lot of seasons. When you’re watching those shows you kind of feel like you’re just hanging out with the characters. Those shows are just something I can have on in the background all day, so it’d probably be one of those two.”
Which person has made the biggest impact on your swimming career and why?
“I’d say my parents, both of them as a duo. They’ve made my life so easy and have really allowed me to prosper in this sport. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. My mom used to wake up at around 3:45 in the morning so she could make my breakfast and my lunch for the day when I had morning practice. She’d always drive me and make the best meals for me. My dad was such a great coordinator growing up with coordinating training trips, my flights, and my swim meet information. They were the perfect team and without them I just would be so lost. I think they’re awesome because neither of them swam growing up. They didn’t understand swimming at all when I joined the sport, and they know it like the back of their hand now. I’m really, really grateful for them.”
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