Advice for Swimmers Who Miss the Cut for a Big Meet
By Lucy Callard, Swimming World College Intern
With less than a week left to qualify for Olympic Trials, hundreds of swimmers will face the inevitable disappointment of barely missing the meet. Every meet with qualifying standards is the same: some athletes will fall short by a only few hundredths of a second. No matter what meet you are looking to qualify for, falling short of the cut can be painful but can also be a source of motivation for future swims. Here are four pieces of advice for the swimmers who miss the cut and how to keep looking forward to your next opportunity.
Use Your Disappointment As a Tool
There is no smoothing over the pain and disappointment of not qualifying for a meet you have trained for. But the sting you feel over missing the cut can also be a tool. Rather than pushing your emotions aside, use your disappointment as motivation during the hard sets and grueling practices in the coming months. There is no better feeling than coming up short the first time around and bouncing back to swim even faster. This will not erase the disappointment you feel or change the past but the best swimmers keep looking forward to their next opportunity.
A Fast Swim Is Still a Fast Swim, Even When You Miss the Cut
Qualifying for an elite meet is hard, and the qualifying times are fast. Coming within a few tenths of a second is an impressive accomplishment in itself, so don’t lose sight of your success in the face of disappointment. Setting difficult goals is the key to success in swimming and falling short of those goals is a natural part of the process. But barely missing a goal does not discount the successes you had in pursuit of your goal. Great swims deserve to be celebrated, even if you miss the cut by a small margin. After all your hard work and sacrifices, you owe it to yourself to be proud of your accomplishments.
Don’t Get Bogged Down By What Went Wrong. A Lot Went Right, Too
Whether it’s a jammed turn or a poor streamline, it can be easy after a swim to try to pinpoint exactly what was the difference between qualifying and just missing the cut. Acknowledging the weaknesses in your race is important but becoming obsessed with what went wrong will hamper your ability to move forward. Be sure to find the highlights with your coach and identify areas where you executed your race properly. Even when you don’t achieve the time you were hoping for, you undoubtedly did most things right. Not making the same mistakes is just as important as continuing to do what you have already mastered. Reminding yourself of this will give you more confidence and a more positive attitude as you look toward your next meet.
One Swim Meet Does Not Define a Career
Especially for those in the final weeks or months of their swimming careers, the pressure to perform can be overwhelming in your last few swims. But one swim or missing the cut does not define your entire athletic career. You have dedicated too much time to let one race dictate how you view your time as a swimmer. Even when you fall short of that last qualifying time, you will still have all the years of memories and experiences to be grateful for. Simply because it is your last swim meet does not mean it is the only one that matters. Swimming is a sport of highs and lows. Don’t let one low moment taint how you will look back on your career.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Lucy, having been a high achiever in the pool, I am indeed knowledgeable when it comes to disappointment. I think you wrote a more important article than you may be aware of. Your 4 points are a great basis for lessons in life. Good job, you nailed it and thank you.
Best,
Jim
jacobs.jim@gmail.com
Jim