The Importance of Non-Swimmer Friends: Why We Need These Pals
The friends you make while swimming will be lifelong pals. However, the ones you make outside the sport are also important and, in some ways, better for you while you are competing. Here’s why.
They Know Nothing About the Sport
These friends are ones you met outside of swimming, whether that be at school or in a different extracurricular activity. This relationship means that they don’t usually swim themselves, which is great because they know nothing about the sport. When you are talking, the topic is most likely not going to be about swimming which provides relief, especially since you will be spending most of your time in the pool.
No Competition
Because these friends don’t swim and have nothing to do with the sport when you are together, you’re not competing. There is no comparison of times or how your training session was that day, which is key to keeping a normal lifestyle in the sport. Swimming for the most part is a solo sport which can be isolating when you and your teammates are in constant competition with each other. Non-swimming friends are key as you can develop relationships that aren’t fostered by the walls of the swimming pool but because you want to be friends.
Allow You to Live a Somewhat Normal Life
What I found when I was a swimmer was that these friends are the ones that allow you to live somewhat a normal life. For the most part, the life of a swimmer is not normal, thanks to early wakeups to swim before school, then swimming after the academic day. Not giving you the time to do the normal teenage things like go to the mall or just doing homework. So, on the weekends when I didn’t have meets, I liked to hang out with these people as the conversations are not about swimming which help to remind you that there is a life outside the swimming pool.
Support
The support of friends outside the sport is something so valuable. Because they do not know a lot about the sport, they celebrate your efforts no matter the result. It doesn’t matter that you didn’t record a personal best. The fact you may have won your race is something to celebrate. When races don’t go your way, they are still there for you, and won’t dwell on what went wrong and how. They will just be there to support and help you for your next meet. In my experience, the friends who continually support you are the ones every swimmer needs.
Balance
These friends will have different passions than you, which could be another sport or art. This difference means they will allow you to maintain a healthy balance between swimming and other aspects of life, such as hobbies or academics. This is great for swimmers when you spend most of your day thinking about training or the upcoming meet. Having friends that have different hobbies offers a chance to step outside the all-consuming world that is swimming.
Having friends who don’t participate in competitive swimming can significantly enrich your life. They provide you with different perspectives, chances for relief and a supportive environment. By having these relationships, you can achieve a healthier balance between swimming and other important aspects of your life, which leads to personal growth in and out of the sport.