Lessons Learned From the NCAA Championships
By Mauro Pacsi, Swimming World College Intern
If there is anything we can take away from this past year of swimming, it is that nothing is impossible. In the past two weeks, that statement held true as the NCAA Swimming and Diving Division I Championships were successfully conducted. Not a lot of swimmers even thought these meets would be possible because of the surging of COVID-19 pandemic. However, with proper protocols in place, the championships unfolded, along with fast swimming.
Last week, the women’s collegiate teams took to the pool in Greensboro, North Carolina, to deliver a historic NCAA meet. The University of Virginia’s first National Championship, Maggie MacNeil’s NCAA Record 100-yard fly, and N.C. State’s 400 Medley Relay were some of the amazing performances produced. Over the past few days, the men’s championships took place in the same venue, with their own headlines. Louisville won its first relay title in school history, Minnesota’s Max McHugh claimed his school’s first swimming title since 1964, and Texas A&M’s Shaine Casas won his school’s first men’s title ever.
These few swims mentioned, along with the others, show that swimming at the highest level in a pandemic is possible. These collegiate athletes battled adversity all season from the pandemic and triumphed. If they can do it, then we can too. By watching them compete, I have been able to take away these valuable lessons that are worth sharing.
Setbacks Only Set Up for Greater Comebacks
The pandemic left swimmers, coaches, and teams with a lot of problems. Pool time, practices, safety protocols, and finding facilities were all just some of the issues. However, these setbacks – although major – did not extinguish the fire of wanting to return to training. Athletes did things out of the pool to keep themselves in shape, focused, and refreshed. Whether it was dryland, meditation, eating better, or sleeping better, many found other ways to keep their minds and bodies fresh. By the time they were able to get access to a pool, they did not lose all the progress they had made. So, if you are someone who faces similar issues, stay active outside of the pool. The water will welcome you back with open arms if you do.
Everyone Loves an Underdog
Being an underdog in a race is never bad and it does not take anything away from who you are as a competitor. You know what you are capable of and you know how to maximize your potential. However, nobody else does, so no one has their eyes on you. As previously stated, the N.C. State women and Louisville men both won a title in a relay event. Talk about putting on a show for the Atlantic Coast Conference. While the members of those relays knew what they could do it, there was doubt elsewhere. People might have counted them out and thought better teams would claim the title. Yet, those other teams did not, all because the underdogs never gave up on themselves.
Nothing is Over Until it is Over
Sometimes people make bold predictions when it comes to sports. Predictions and statistics will say one team is guaranteed to beat the rest, sometimes by a landslide margin. This year on the men’s side, that was not the case as many people were split on predicting either the Texas Longhorns or the California Golden Bears to win the whole thing. In the end, Texas won, but only by a margin of 27 points. Texas had to fight and come back to earn another title after being down earlier in the meet. The point is, any meet is not over until the score is tallied and announced. In addition, any race is not over until everyone’s hand touches the wall and the times are on the board.
Fighting until the end is what swimming is all about at any level. Seconds, hundredths of a second, and tenths of a second are crucial in every race as swimmers battle to get the best of each other. So, if you are ever down at a meet or behind in a race, give it your best effort. You will not know what the outcome will be otherwise. Your tenacity and effort will be rewarded, and if not with a best time or a team win, you will be undoubtedly satisfied knowing that you left everything in the pool.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Old hat. Love the article.