By Katie Lafferty, Swimming World College Intern.
As the college school year comes to an end, many student-athletes are heading back home for the summer. As we pack up our dorm rooms we may be asking ourselves “What’s next?”.
At school our schedules are pretty much set for us. We have two workouts a day, classes, study table, and team meetings. There isn’t much time to sit down and decide how we want to spend our time.
When we get home we have the freedom to choose what we want to do. We have that freedom that was dreamt about all season long during those grueling workouts. However, with that freedom may come anxiety of how to stay in shape and make the transition from swimming at college back to swimming with a club team.
Here are six ideas to make that transition a little more smooth:
1. Talk to your college coach.
Photo Courtesy: Katie Lafferty
Talking with your college coach can help you to find out what their expectations of you are. Do they want you to keep the same practice schedule as you had in season back at school? Do they want you to swim in meets?
2. Make a plan.
Photo Courtesy: Ernest Tiberino
Having a plan before transitioning back to a club team can make things easier. It is important to find a schedule that works for you while also completing all of the practices you need to complete. A plan holds you accountable, as well as giving you that schedule that you are used to from being at college.
3. Stick with it.
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Training with a new group of people and new coaches after spending nine months with your college team can be challenging. However, it is important that you stick with the plan you have previously made. Some days will be harder than others, but at the end of the season when it comes down to conference time, you will be glad you stuck with the plan you made over summer.
4. Interact with your teammates on your club team.
Photo Courtesy: Jennifer Podlin
Whether you are joining a new club team for the summer or going back to the one you have been with for years, interacting with your teammates will make training easier and much more enjoyable. When you’re in the middle of a brutal set, having people next to you that you talk with will make it easier.
Irish Aquatics head coach, Matt Dorsch, said, “It’s always great having those members of the club who have gone off to swim collegiality come back and train with the team in the summer.” You bring a new energy and presence to the training group.
5. Swim in a meet.
Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott
Saint Francis University Head Coach, Rory Coleman, said that swimming in meets over summer can help with motivation.“It let’s you know where your training is. Hopefully, you [will] see that you are getting faster,” he shared.
Having a meet to look forward to makes training easier. Swimming in a meet breaks up the training cycle and gives you an opportunity to track your progress. Along with swimming in meets, this gives you a chance to spend more time with your teammates and support the younger swimmers.
6. Share your experiences with the people around you.
Photo Courtesy: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Swimming in college is an amazing experience. Being able to share you experiences of swimming at college with your club teammates is a great way to feel at home with your club team.
“These are the former leaders of the program whom the younger swimmers looked up to and seeing them back at practice is a great thing. The college swimmers also provide some great help and inspiration to those just starting their college search, sharing with them what will be expected in a program like theirs” Dorsch said.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.