By Chandler Brandes, Swimming World College Intern.
Training trip.
To outsiders scrolling through social media, it seems like a week-long trip to be with your closest friends, taking photos, laughing and smiling on a beach somewhere warm and sunny.
As swimmers and divers, we know this is so, so wrong. In reality, training trip is arguably the hardest part of the season filled with grueling training two or three times per day.
Below is a chance to debunk some common myths about training trip and provide the true reality of what it’s really like to be a college swimmer or diver.
Myth #1: Training trip is basically just vacation.
Photo Courtesy: Meaghan Abelein
Based on the pictures posted on Instagram and the stories viewed on Snapchat, it may seem to the outside world that training trip is just one big vacation. If only they really knew…
Fact #1: Training trip is the furthest thing from a fun, tropical vacation.
Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr / Swimming Australia Ltd.
The perception that training trip is a vacation is wrong on so many levels. Although teams get to travel to warm places and enjoy some down time at the beach in between training sessions, this so-called “vacation” is filled with grueling practices.
Expectation:
Photo Courtesy: Jen Cournoyer
After successfully completing a hard workout, you feel unstoppable. There’s no better feeling than thinking, Wow, I just crushed that set.
Reality:
Photo Courtesy: Kristina Posnick
After finishing practice, you can’t move. You are positive that your arms and legs are broken. You need help getting out of the pool. Then you have to get back in for another practice in a few hours…
Myth #2: Swimmers and divers always go somewhere warm and sunny.
Photo Courtesy: Madison Carroll
Generally, college swimming and diving teams head to a new training facility someplace warm, often times to swim outside and train long course. For schools in colder places, heading south is truly a blessing and a chance to escape the harsh winter weather.
Fact #2: Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Photo Courtesy: Eileen Hall
Sometimes teams do not get the chance to train elsewhere and have to stay on-campus for Holiday training. Even schools in cold, snowy places make the most of every situation.
Expectation:
Photo Courtesy: Ben Kromash
Training trip is a great time for teams to bond and get closer to each other. After all, you’re stuck with no one else but your teammates for an entire week.
Reality:
Photo Courtesy: Eileen Hall
Most of the time during training trip, you’ve got to help your teammates out and check to make sure one another is still alive. Hey, at least you’re in it together.
Myth #3: Training trip is all work and no play.
Photo Courtesy: Glenn Mills
Eat. Sleep. Swim. Repeat. There’s not much more to it.
Fact #3: The memories created during training trip are priceless.
Photo Courtesy: Julia DeGregorio
Although training trip is a lot of hard work, the memories created with your teammates will last a lifetime. In between the blood, sweat and tears during training, there are plenty of laughs and smiles.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
The picture with the guy doing CPR is brilliant!
Isabella Cesareo
This is so accurate it’s unbelievable