Commentary by Norah Hunt, Swimming World College Intern.
The college conference season has arrived, and this past week, swimming fans everywhere were treated to some truly spectacular performances. From the SECs to the Pac 12 to the dozens of mid-major conferences that were happening around the country, it almost became overwhelming to keep track of all the fast swimming. Overwhelming, but certainly fun. There is nothing like the energy and excitement that comes with a conference meet; the anticipation before each finals session is almost electric, and even the prelims sessions are loud and thrilling.
Simply put, conferences are fun. They are our sport in its purest form: all about racing the person next to you. They are loud and exciting and just an all-around incredible experience, and they allow people like Caeleb Dressel to break record after record on very little rest, or teams like UVA to shoot ahead and completely dominate ACCs.
Here are some reflections from a sophomore that just competed in her second college conferences:
Photo Courtesy: Jim Agnew, William and Mary Athletics
Times matter less than they normally do.
They certainly matter, because our sport is defined by tenths and hundredths of seconds. However, during college meets, especially conferences, it becomes all about racing the people next to you. The sport becomes less complicated; it is not swimmer vs the clock, it is swimmer vs swimmer. Touching someone out at the finish and getting your hand on the wall first and scoring valuable points for your team is far more important than getting a best time or shaving a couple hundredths off your time from the morning.
Photo Courtesy: Chuckarelei / Pac-12
Watching your teammates succeed never, ever gets old.
College is special in the fact that you are able to become so, so close to your teammates. You swim with them, go to class with them, eat meals with them, and basically never leave their side. You see every part of them and are there for every bad day, and being able to see them succeed at the end of the season is simply incredible. I firmly believe that you have hit the teammate jackpot when you are more excited about a friend’s race than you are about your own. Conferences are cheering your heart out for these sweet people and believing in them so wholeheartedly that it fills you with joy.
Photo Courtesy: Maciek Gudrymowicz
The rivalries make the sport fun.
Going into a conference meet, chances are that you know the other teams pretty well, and you have probably raced them before during a dual meet. Every college has a big rival, a team they love to race and want so badly to beat. While these rivalries are intense and can make you want to pull your hair out at times, they make the sport fun. Out touching them, shifting back and forth between who is in the lead, and just flat out racing them is about as awesome and exciting as it gets. Swimmers are super competitive, and oftentimes these rivalries push both teams to become better. Conferences give you a prime time to go head to head with your foe, so enjoy every race and every little victory.
Photo Courtesy: William and Mary Athletics
The seniors are done!
Truth be told, it never gets old watching a senior swim their last race. It is emotional and stressful, but ultimately a huge victory, no matter the time. It is a celebration, and there is no greater feeling than being able to hug a senior you looked up to and congratulate them on a career well swam. It is awesome. Just totally, completely awesome.
Conferences can certainly become a whirlwind at times, but they are incredibly rewarding. There are so many different experiences to have and memories to make, and the best thing to do is take everything in stride. Swim fast, smile a lot, eat a ton of pasta, cheer until you lose your voice, and take every single moment in. It is a memory that will stay with you long after you stop swimming, so get ready to dive in!
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
This was truly a great article, Norah. Congratulations on a job well done.