By Rachel Ewart, Swimming World College Intern
Laura Mitlyng, a sophomore at Minnesota State University Moorhead, has overcome some incredibly challenging issues when it comes to her swimming career.
Mitlyng starting swimming in the first grade after her mother convinced her to take up the sport that her three older siblings did. Her inspiration for swimming derived from her desire to get better.
“I can still remember the first day of practice- there was a large group of us and we were going to swim 25s. I looked at my older sister and told her I had no idea what a 25 was,” Mitlyng said. “After my sister announced that to the entire team, I knew the meaning of a 25 from that from that day on.”
Enduring Injury
Mitlyng did not have the best of luck with her swimming career in high school.
“I had a shoulder injury that wouldn’t get better, so I tried diving because I really wanted to be a part of the team regardless of what I did,” Mitlyng said.
Mitlyng had shoulder surgery at the beginning of her junior year, which put her out of the water for an entire season. It was difficult for her to cope with being unable to compete. But she was able to return her senior year.
“In September of my senior year my high school coach asked me if I had considered swimming in college,” Mitlyng recalled. “I was shocked because I hadn’t swum in almost two years and couldn’t imagine who was going to want me to compete for them.”
Mitlyng told her coach that one of her top college choices was Minnesota State Moorhead. Her coach helped set up a visit to the school. It only took one trip to the campus for Mitlyng to fall in love with the school and the swim team.
Photo Courtesy: Alecs Peters
College Swimming
As a freshmen in college, Mitlyng had doubts if Minnesota State Moorhead was the right decision for her. In the fall of 2013, she encountered an issue with college eligibility.
“My coach informed me that I was two credits short of what the NCAA required for high school course work,” Mitlyng said. “Neither I nor my high school counselor were aware of the newest eligibility criteria and I did not take the additional courses needed.”
This curve ball impacted not only Mitlyng’s attitude toward swimming, but also her entire first year of college.
“I really struggled finding the ambition to work toward the goals I set for myself that season. All I really wanted was to just get through the season,” Mitlyng said. “Even when it was finished, I was not sure if I would return to swim again.”
A Second Chance
The summer after her freshman year, she returned home for work and decided she would take life one day at a time. While at home, Mitlyng reflected on her first year in college, her successes and failures. She went back and forth all summer long, debating whether or not to stay on the team after the problems she had faced the previous year.
“One day, over 4th of July weekend, a close family friend talked with me and told me that I couldn’t quit just yet. I had to give it a fair chance. She reminded me that what had happened wasn’t my fault, and that I hadn’t really had a taste of what it’s like to be a college athlete,” Mitlyng remembered.
She then made the promise that she would give it one more year. Mitlyng knew she owed swimming at least that.
“My success in making it through the year and having a successful season helped me fall back in love with the sport and find my passion for swimming again,” Mitlyng said.
The Comeback Kid
During Mitlyng’s second season of collegiate swimming, things started coming together for her and she began to value competition and her place on the team.
Head swimming coach Todd Peters was impressed with the effort Laura put forth and the massive improvements she made during this time.
“Laura took advantage of every single meet and achieved 32 lifetime best swims throughout the year,” Peters said. “She earned her way onto our conference scoring team with huge drops at our mid-season meet.”
She dropped 13 seconds in her 200 back in college, 10 in the 100 back, and a whopping 17 seconds in the 200 free. She sliced two full seconds off her 50 free and another two and a half seconds in her 100 free.
“I have been coaching for 24 years and Laura has achieved the greatest one-year improvements I have ever coached. She is proof of what a positive attitude along with determination and hard work can accomplish. I cannot wait to see what she does in her next three years,” Peters said.
Swimming has taught Mitlyng responsibility and accountability. It has given her a team that she compares to a big family- a team that wants to celebrate successes and show support during trying times.
“My advice to a college swimmer that feels discouraged and wants to give up is: Never give up,” Mitlyng said. “As cheesy and cliché as that sounds, do NOT give up. All of the work you are putting in now may not seem worth it, but it will be worth the sense of accomplishment you feel when you meet what you thought were impossible goals.”
Mitlyng’s Time Progressions
50 Free (relay) 26.78 24.79
100 Free (relay) 58.01 55.72
200 Free 2:16.70 1:59.78
100 Back 1:10 1:00.38
200 Back 2:25.87 2:12.82