Dear Swammers,
Among all the excitement and record-breaking performances at SECs, ACCs, and beyond, many of you just swam in your last race. Some of you even went a best time, and now you're left with EVEN MORE mixed emotions as you look ahead to the next chapter of your life.
Well, as someone who went through this and found his way back to the sport in an incredibly turbulent way, I figured I'd try to offer some advice and maybe even a little bit of hope.
Some of you are FIRED UP to be done with the sport, and I'll be the first to tell you that’s okay.
It’s a hard sport, it demands a lot, and you don’t leave it, even at the highest level, with your pockets full of cash. Others of you, however, might be terrified of what life looks like without swimming.
Spoiler Alert: Life after swimming is incredibly strange.
You go from having hyper-specific goals and a plan to accomplish them to trying to figure out how to just go to the gym and "work out" instead.
You go from having teammates and coaches relentlessly pushing you to be better every day to having to push yourself, sometimes to even just get out of bed.
The road ahead is rocky, and there’s no clear path, but if you take one piece of advice out of this, let it be this:
Don’t expect to do things perfectly or have it all figured out right away.
You don’t need to love swimming again right away.
You don’t need to be super motivated to go to the gym right away.
You don’t need to know how to live a life you've never lived right away.
Give yourself time to figure it out.
I’ve probably gone on too long at this point and could’ve kept it shorter (shocking, right?), so I’ll leave you with some quick hits of advice:
Turn off the clock. We’ve lived and died by the clock our entire lives. It’s time to ignore it for a bit and just pretend to be a fish.
Don’t force yourself back into the water. Swimming has a weird way of drawing you back when the time is right. Let it pull you back in.
Stay competitive in SOMETHING. Mine is intramural volleyball. New season starts in April, and there's a 62% chance I’ll get into a fight with someone.
Stay connected to swimming. There have never been more opportunities to stay connected to this sport, and it has never needed you more than it does right now.
If you're hanging up the cap and goggles, make sure they're hung up in an easy-to-reach place. There's a good chance you'll take them off that hook again sooner than you think.
See you on the pool deck.
Oh god.
What a dorky way to end that.
What is wrong with me?
"SeE yOu ON tHe pOol dECk."
Too late.
Bye.
Welcome back to the Kap!
This ✨️Gold Rush✨️we're thrilled to welcome former head coach Tony Shaver and his family back to the 'Burg. The winningest coach in school history will be recognized during the game for his record-setting tenure with the program.
🎟 Be in the building: https://t.co/foIdjKFwcD
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Ready, set, 💥go💥
Last week, Rick Platt '72 joined @mannbriand & members of the @WMTribeXCTF staff to help mark the start of renovations on the program's facilities at Zable Stadium!
More details on Rick's incredible generosity here: https://t.co/8AJuaCMSjJ
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"I unequivocally believe the best is still ahead, especially with the support of so many alumni, friends and fans who love the Green and Gold!"
W&M Extends Contract for Athletics Director @mannbriand
📰 → https://t.co/UGWkutt7DJ
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