By SwimSwam Contributors on SwimSwam
Courtesy: Elizabeth Spencer Rosenthal
Every season has a reason, and in swimming, summer is a time of transitions. First and foremost, school is out, and that means swimming is in! The training schedule intensifies to nine practices a week, and the course switches from short to long. But as the days grow longer and the sun beats stronger, other meaningful changes are on the horizon.
Younger swimmers may be eagerly awaiting “move-ups” — from one training level to the next. From silver to gold, or from age group to senior. It’s a time for assessing and renewing their commitment to the sport and setting new goals accordingly. Maybe they’re going away to swim camp for the first time. Many may be giddy with anticipation about the fun that comes from summer travel meets and staying in a hotel with their teammates. Still others are ready to take a big splash forward, making a qualifying time for that next big meet.
Middle school and high school swimmers may already be wondering if they’ll soon get news of a call-up to the Varsity team come summer’s end. Some, who tend to be planners, will be eagerly strategizing which combination of swimmers will make up their fastest relay, so when the time comes, they’ll be ready.
Others, like my daughter, will be graduating not just from high school, but from the only swim club she’s ever known. In a few weeks, she’ll step up to the blocks for the final time with a “G” emblem emblazoned on her cap, representing the team that’s been her second home for her entire swimming life. And as the summer days drift away, she’ll begin adjusting to college life in a distant city, with ambitious goals and fresh training and study regimens. She’ll dive headfirst into a college swim culture with a new set of coaches and teammates, and a different cap on her head. She’ll even take the plunge from outdoor to indoor swimming.
The transition to college swimming will also bring forth a change in apparel. My daughter, for example, will soon have to say, “So long,” to her beloved Speedo suits and get ready to embrace and race in arena on meet days. It’ll be time to say, “See ya later,” to the Raider blue, and “Hop” on board with the Blue Jays’ lighter hue.
Even at the highest level of the sport, transitions were on full display at the recent USA Swimming trials, with our country’s most dominant and accomplished swimmers vying for a spot on the World Championship roster. While breaststroke idol and legendary competitor Lilly King was announcing her retirement, a new generation of younger talent was surging to the wall, imploring the world to take notice. And internationally, the most elite sprinters on the planet are now preparing for the addition of 50s to world-class competition. (I can’t help but hear the voice of my kids’ former coach who loved to tell them, “We are senior swimmers. We don’t swim 50s!”) Well, now we do! Not to mention, it wasn’t that long ago when only men swam the 1500 and women swam the 800!
At every level, change is a regular part of the sport. As a lifelong swimming family, we’ve seen countless coaches and tons of teammates come and go, often in search of greener (or faster) pastures. Some of them return. Many do not. But the world of swimming can, at the same time, be both vast and small. Beyond the good byes, we have also experienced many joyful reunions with former coaches and teammates as our paths continue to cross on our respective journeys through the sport.
While not every high school or club swimmer goes on to compete in college, every swimmer learns to swim their own race, and stay in their own lane. They take their time and talents to new levels in pursuit of other lofty dreams. After high school, my older daughter traded in her pool goggles for lab goggles and is now completing her first year of medical school. (Talk about competition!) My son is about to be a senior in college, studying business management and doing a summer internship on the financial side of a medical research company. The traits they honed as swimmers — commitment, drive, discipline and adaptability to inevitable change — surely guide them and others as they race toward the future as the next generation of physicians, entrepreneurs, or whatever path they choose.
Likewise, for me, this summer brings a time of personal transition and reflection as well. After spending countless hours, days, weekends and years supporting my kids and the sport they love, I’m facing a new era in a house without swimmers! Although my nest may be empty, I know the nearby pools will remain full of eager athletes, much like my own, seeking to write their own swimming stories. I’ll surely have fewer towels to wash and a lot less food to prepare. I’ll miss the time in the car with my kids, dropping off and picking up at the pool, and perhaps even the lingering scent of chlorine in the air. Maybe I’ll hang up my white shirt for a while. Maybe I’ll show up to officiate at the school and the club where I can now proudly claim three amazing alumni. Beyond that, I’ll wait and see what the Fall season brings.
ABOUT ELIZABETH SPENCER
Elizabeth Spencer Rosenthal is a wife and mother of 3 from Miami. She is a passionate swim mom, volunteer and meet official, with a professional background in marketing and public relations. She holds a degree in Public Communication from American University, and loves finding a story to tell.
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