By Robbie Dickson, Swimming World College Intern.
School is out and college swimmers across the country will be returning to their homes for Thanksgiving break. But before these swimmers stepped off campus, their coaches made sure to tell them exactly what they expected them to do once they got home. Whether it’s a certain number of swim sessions or lifts in the weight-room, all athletes were made aware of their responsibilities. Now we also know that once off campus, these swimmers are going to do exactly what they want. Here are the five types of college swimmers over school breaks:
1. The Goody Two-Shoes
Photo Courtesy: Kevin D. Liles-USA TODAY Sports
These college swimmers leave campus in the morning and speeds home just in time for the afternoon double. They go above and beyond what their college coaches asked of them, falling right back into their club swimming days of doubles and dry-land sessions. Getting up early every morning they are home to make it to the first swim of the day, while all their regular college friends enjoy the break from classes and sleep in. School breaks are typically the hardest training blocks for club teams, and these swimmers are always up for new challenges. They lead the lanes while reppin’ their college suits and caps, showing off for their younger teammates. These swimmers are looked up to by the younger swimmers, and will return to campus in tip-top shape.
2. The Sleeper
While coaches would love for all their college swimmers to be the goody two-shoes type, there will always be that swimmer that can’t be found once they leave campus. They attend zero swim practices or weight sessions. The only people they see are their parents and siblings when it is time to eat a family meal. Other than that, this group of swimmers lock themselves away in their rooms and spend their days asleep. They disappear deep into their comforter and will not resurface until break is over. Once they return to campus, they will spend the next week at the back of the lane trying to get back into shape. This is typically when they regret sleeping their break away.
3. The “I Have to Get Out Early” Swimmer
Photo Courtesy: Hayley Good
This brand of swimmers attend the majority of their workouts over breaks, but never finish them. They always have a family event to attend, doctors appointment, or they simply say they can’t do this much training anymore. While it is nice that they get wet over the breaks, these swimmers bother their former club teammates by disrupting the flow of practice. The constant distraction of a college swimmer getting out early can irritate the swimmers who have to complete the entire workout. The “I Have to Get Out Early” swimmers always have something going on in their lives that prevents them from finishing the whole practice. Upon returning to campus, these swimmers will have to re-adjust to completing entire workouts and practicing their excuses for their next break.
4. The Weightlifter
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Next up is the famous weightlifter type. This swimmer spends breaks expanding his bench press capacity instead of his aerobic capacity. You can find them at the local YMCA or LA Fitness in an old cut-off doing bicep curls and other exercises to bulk up before the break is over. They will chalk up their lackluster performances in the pool that season because their strength coach doesn’t let them lift enough weight. So over breaks, these swimmers will attempt to make up for that by spending the majority of their time in the weight-room. Once these newly turned body-builders return to campus, they will struggle to find their form due to “bulking season”.
5. The Talker
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
The final type of college swimmer over school breaks is “The Talker.” This athlete has no intentions of swimming or working out over breaks, but they still make it to the pool everyday. They plant themselves at their club coaches side and spend the duration of practice reliving the glory days or telling their favorite college stories. These swimmers watch their club teammates suffer through brutal workouts, and occasionally offer some technical advice when they see fit. Their addition on the pool deck is not received kindly by the swimmers in the pool, and most wish that they would just save their gas and stay home. “The Talker” will also struggle when they get back on campus because the only thing that they have worked out is their mouths.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
I was a combination of 2,3 and 5 lol
We all were Ray, gotta go after warm ups on the first day and never to be seen in the pool again
Lol. Jeffrey was a #1 for sure. I was a #3. Complete #3.