By Samantha Dammann, Swimming World College Intern.
When Olympian Dana Vollmer competed while six months pregnant at the Arena Pro Swim Series in Mesa, she reminded female swimmers how much they’re capable of and how they should assess their athletic achievements.
“It shows that the human body can take anything and still keep going, especially a girl’s body. Our bodies are not weak things that, as soon as something happens, shut down. We should really cherish our bodies because they’re so much stronger than we think,” said Thomine Mortensen, a varsity swimmer at Biola University.
Far too often, female swimmers limit themselves by believing lies about their capabilities and value as athletes. They compare themselves to their female and male teammates. They feel pressured to conform to culture’s ideal physical standards, and they buy into the lie that athleticism and femininity are not supposed to be connected.
Vollmer probably did not set out to oppose these beliefs with her swim, but she did. She gave the world an image of a woman fully embracing and celebrating her body as it is.
She recognized that she had just as much of a right to compete at that meet as all the other swimmers there, even though none of her competitors were as pregnant as her…or pregnant at all. Vollmer also didn’t believe that her race goals were any less valid than the goals set by her competitors just because they were set on different achievements.
In an interview shortly after her 50 free, Vollmer commented on her race: “‘Time didn’t matter, place didn’t matter,’ she said. ‘I’ve loved being here. I’ve loved seeing all my teammates, all the people from Rio. The race felt great.’”
Vollmer was able to race because she set her goals for herself and didn’t play the comparison game. Her attitude toward her race reminded female swimmers that they need to assess their value by looking at themselves, and no one else.
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Ideals exist in every corner of society, and swimming is no exception. Female athletes see the girls standing up on the podium and think: “if only I could be leaner, or taller, I could win that medal too.” On one hand not all physical goals are unhealthy. Setting seasonal goals of lifting heavier or eating healthier aren’t bad. Goals become unhealthy when a swimmer ignores the reality of who she is while setting them.
Eddie Shephard, Associate Athletic Director at Biola Univeristy and former head swim and dive coach, has watched many female student-athletes struggle while chasing after ideals.
“An athlete also has to have realistic goals. Goals that are consistent with the level of performance that a particular swimmer is capable of, but that are also going to allow that person to strive to become better,” Shephard said.
Goals are meant to motivate and challenge, but if they’re based on ideals that are impossible to reach they will only lead to frustration and discouragement.
Unfortunately, overcoming the comparison struggle isn’t as easy as resetting goals. Female swimmers not only need to stop comparing themselves to the other athletes around them, but they also need to be able to look at their bodies and appreciate them as they are.
“Body types are established primarily by genetics, although I have far too often seen females allow that to get the best of them and limit their potential in a negative way. It is important to understand your body type and accept that it will change, but it does not always have to be seen as a negative thing and or a reason to stop or expect less of yourself,” said Emily Mosbacher, head swim and dive coach at Biola University.
A wise swimmer will try to have the healthiest body she can. She won’t try to have what she believes to be the perfect body.
Mosbacher believes the female swimmer who takes a genuine look at her body and does the work to figure out what she needs to reach a competitive fitness level will succeed–
“We can encourage girls to embrace their bodies by educating them on healthy living and finding their personal strengths within their God-given bodies. If someone is a talented athlete, she should embrace her gifts as an athlete and her ability to compete rather than focusing on achieving a specific shape or look.”
Instead of setting goals to achieve the ideal swimming body, Mosbacher encourages girls to “focus on the love of the sport, the fun of the competition, and healthy living.”
Vollmer’s swim reminded girls that they need to focus on themselves when assessing their athletic achievements. Whether her focus is on a single race or over the span of several years, the swimmer that forgets her unique circumstances and abilities will struggle to find value in her sport.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Chelsea Parlato ☺
So well said! ??????????
Kenyon Kellett