Confidence You Can’t Wipe Off

Feature by Michelle Berman, Swimming World intern

PISCATAWAY, New Jersey, November 25. TEAM unity is one of the single most important parts of having a successful championship team. Team unity may come in many different ways, but one that is undoubtedly a front-runner is the way a team presents itself.

Having confidence in your team is so important that without it you can likely kiss a winning season goodbye. What a team wears and how the members on the team present themselves is a great way to bring a team's confidence to a new level.

"A team uniform is what the team wears while participating in their competition and practice," said Brynn Mareki, junior at University of Buffalo. "Having a team uniform promotes team unity because everyone looks the same and shows equality throughout each member on the team."

FAST's David Prodanovich believes that the way a team is presented means a lot to the team as a whole.
"It tells me that our coach appreciates the way we look, and in return it made our team feel closer as a unit."

Team uniforms also instill team spirit. Having team spirit helps the team bleed confidence. Confidence in yourself and in your team is the way to fast swimming. However, not all believe that having matching clothes actually makes you swim faster.

"I don't think a uniform necessarily affects how you swim or your motivation," said Lauren Yee, an alumni from Drury. "Being in uniform just instills a sense of unity and respect for your school and for your team."

Mareki believes that matching uniforms do actually change the way one can swim. "For some reason, I think it helps put me in a mood to compete, and not let my teammates down."

Prodanovich also believes in the effects of team uniform.

"It is good to know you and your team will be wearing the same suits and caps in a meet. It shows confidence," said Prodanovich. "When you are on a relay, and you stand next to your team knowing that you are all there to support each other is a big deal. And then to look at your teammates and having them support your relay team is a big added bonus."

Wearing team uniforms is obviously an important factor for the athletes on the team, but what about the coaches? Why do coaches want their teams to look unified and presentable?

Lee makes it known that coaches want their team to feel good and confident in themselves, just as they do for their teams. "Intimidation, respect, and Spirit. That's what it's about," said Lee.

"I think that coaches enjoy seeing their team arrive to a meet, being at a meet, and then leaving the meet matching for a few reasons," said Prodanovich. "But one of the main reasons is that it makes a statement that the team is prepared to be competitive, whether it's a big team, or a small team, they are all there to compete."

So what does a team uniform look like to the other teams watching?

"Our parents and our supporters always say that it looks amazing to see us all dressed together and look like a strong team," said Lee. "Plus my parents said that it looked amazing to see a sea of red and a united team. And that they always knew where we were."

"Same color bags, towels, shirts, and sometimes even matching noise makers and tools of team spirit can be a little bit intimidating over other teams who are not as well prepared," said Prodanovich. "That's what we want to look like."

So confidence is the most important thing right? How important is showing confidence? And what does it look like to the fans in the stands?

"The hope is that they see us as one team, not as individuals. And that we have a lot of pride for our school and that we are a force to be reckoned with," said Lee.

"I would like them to think, that we are a team who believes that we can get it done. We walk around the pool in groups, and we walk in confidence as we match in all forms of our clothing," said Prodanovich. "I would like other teams to think that we are prepared to do race, and that is why we are there."

Confidence can bring a member of the team back to life after a bad race. Team unity can bring a team back into the points race when they are falling behind. Respect for your team members can keep a team from dividing when every member is in for the same reason. To win.

So what is the best part about being presented in a team uniform?

"Looking over at our team area and seeing our team colors cover the entire area like an approaching wave over the sea. It really is a motivating scene to look it," said Prodanovich.

"Personally, I love that fact that I don't have to figure out what I'm going to wear. It's all set for me," said Lee. "No, but in all seriousness, it just looks cool for us all to be united as a team and have so much spirit for our school and team."

Mareki sees a uniform in a less serious manner and likes to think of it as a way to stay warm when it gets a little bit chilly in Buffalo, N.Y.

So whether your team has their boys wear slacks and tie, and girls in a dress or skirts on the big day, all that matters is you come in as a team and you leave as a team. That's what it's all about. You win as a team, you lose as a team.

Conference championship and NCAAs are places where teams get to come together, wear the same color shirts, same color pants and walk around in the same shoes. They are also places where a team which is confident and unified is a team to be reckoned with.

Michelle Berman is a junior swimmer at Rutgers University who is serving as an intern at Swimming World this semester.

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