Advice to My Younger Swimmer Self: Summer Finke Reflects on Her Career in the Pool
And suddenly it was over. Twenty-two years of competitive swimming came to an end within a split second on a random Saturday in March. My hand touched the wall for the last time and my competitive swimming journey ended much faster than it began. There are many moments I wish I could relive in my swimming career and many things I wish I could tell my younger self.
When I was 10 years old, all I wanted to do was grow up – to be taller, stronger, faster. Each swim meet I competed in, I immediately looked to the next one. I approached races in a similar fashion, one down, five to go. Two down, three to go. The sport of swimming is much more than simply swimming. So much of swimming happens in between races and in between practices. Little did I know that those age group meets were some of the best experiences of my career. Playing cards between races, spending all weekend with my friends, getting takeout with my family on the way home. I wish I could tell my younger self to slow down and be in the moment. The practices may go by slow, but the years go by fast.
Success is often measured by one ultimate goal. If the goal is not reached by the end of the season, it is easy to see the whole season as a failure. And let me tell you if that was the case, I failed many times over my swimming journey. I cannot count how many times I walked away from a championship meet feeling defeated and discouraged. Times may be an easy way to track progress, however progress is not linear. Setting and achieving small goals are crucial to the bigger picture.
Take it one stroke at a time, one wall at a time, one practice at a time, and one meet at a time. I wish I took a broader approach to the season to truly reflect on how success can be measured in more than one way. Dropping time is great, however so is having a best in-season time, nailing a hard practice, pacing a race better, successfully doing a crossover turn without a DQ, adding one more underwater to a breakout, etc. Just because a goal was not reached, does not mean there is nothing to be proud of. Resiliency will get you far.
Summer Finke
Swimming to the outside world is seen as an individual sport. You dive in the water and you are completely alone with just the sound of water rushing by and your thoughts. You alone control the outcome of your race. However, what the outside world does not see is the endless hours spent training alongside teammates, the countless weekends spent laughing in between races at swim meets, and the unconditional support from coaches, family members and friends.
When I was younger, I was very caught up in my own races. I would spend the majority of the meet locked in to my music, trying to block out the noise around me. It wasn’t until I got to college that I realized how much I missed out on. My pre-race routine changed from being isolated, to dancing and laughing alongside my teammates. Cheering for my friends in between my races while still being able to focus on my results. Take time to build your team. Become a leader and uplift those around you. Not only will it make your team better, but it will make you better in the process.
Looking back on my experiences, some may have thought that my past regrets may have been not “swimming faster.” However, I wish that I slowed down, enjoyed the ride, and saw the true beauty of the sport while I was in it. When my hand touched the wall for the last time, I truly understood that it was about the journey and not the destination.
Summer Finke has joined the Swimming World staff as a regular contributor. A two-time qualifier for the United States Olympic Trials, she competed collegiately for North Carolina State University and was a multi-time NCAA Championships qualifier.