By Jake Bridges on SwimSwam
Russian swimmer Andrei Minakov recently divulged some interesting insights into his time at Stanford in an interview with forbes.ru. Among other things, he explained that his goals at Stanford were more academic than athletic, and said that he began his Stanford education remotely while training for the Tokyo Olympics with the Russian national team.
The Decision to Swim in the United States
When entering college, Minakov desired to combine studies and sport at the highest level. He said that due to the lack of a strong student-sports infrastructure, he knew that it could not be done in his home country.
Minakov states that around the time he was choosing where to swim in college, he did not have any high goals set for his swimming career, despite having taken silver in the men’s 100 fly at the 2019 World Championships in Budapest. Instead, he saw his success in the sport as a way to get into Stanford: “…I wanted to get into the university, thanks to my results in swimming.”
Minakov was never rejected by Stanford, but he didn’t get in on his first try, either. He decided to withdraw his first application due to his lack of satisfaction with his test scores. If Minakov was rejected on his first attempt, he said, it would be more difficult to be accepted next year. His decision was supported by the Stanford coaching staff, and Minakov was accepted to the university the next year.
How Minakov Landed at Stanford
Schools often reach out to top-tier athletes when they begin the college selection process. Minakov has a different story. He spent summers racing for the Terrapins Swim Team in California. Upon prompting, Minakov gave his club coach at Terrapins a list of universities he was interested in attending. That list included Stanford. His coach then sent letters endorsing Minakov to his schools of choice.
A Difficult First Year
Minakov entered Stanford as a freshman in 2020, and faced the academic challenges that came along with the COVID-19 pandemic. He opted out of the 2020-2021 NCAA season and stayed in Russia, where he began his academic career by studying remotely while he prepared for the Tokyo Olympics with the Russian national team. Minakov described it as “one of the most difficult moments for me.” Taking college-level courses for the first time while also participating in his nation’s Olympic training camp is an undeniably difficult workload.
Stanford Swimming’s Policy on Fraternities
During the course of the interview, Minakov was asked about one of the more unique aspects of American college culture: fraternities. When asked if he participated, Minakov responded, “The coach forbids us, because their values do not always coincide with the goals of those who want to achieve high sports results.”
When talking about the college party culture, Minakov did describe some culture shock. “The guys are all young and crazy, in a good way.”
Does an Athletic Scholarship buy you Academic Freebies?
No, says Minakov. “You study for real, there is simply no other way.” He went on to describe the academic standards required of Stanford swimmers: athletes must pass 12 units per quarter or face suspension.
That rule may not be hugely popular among the swimmers and coaches, but Minakov highlights its efficacy. The average team GPA at Stanford is 3.85, the second-highest average in the nation, Minakov says.
Student Life as a swimmer at Stanford
Minakov said his college experience was unlike what his countryfolk would expect, describing his student life as “modest.” He highlighted one of the hallmarks of swimming in college, late nights and early mornings: “Sometimes I went to bed at one o’clock in the morning, and at six in the morning I jumped into the water.”
No Regrets
Despite the heavy load that comes with being a student-athlete, Minakov says he has no regrets taking the path he did. “Maybe I could make more progress in terms of results in sports, but education at Stanford is more than sports.”
Minakov delivered strong performances at Stanford and has had multiple successes at the international level. His career highlights include a silver in the men’s 100 butterfly at the 2019 World Championships, the fastest 100 freestyle of 2020 (47.57), and an NCAA Championship title in the 100 fly in 2022 (43.73).
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Andrei Minakov Describes His Experiences and Mindset as a Student Athlete in America
Hence then, the article about andrei minakov describes his experiences and mindset as a student athlete in america was published today ( ) and is available on swimswam ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Andrei Minakov Describes His Experiences and Mindset as a Student Athlete in America )
Also on site :