So You Think You Can Swim Club?

120706-F-MQ656-228 JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM (July 6, 2012) Sailors from the Royal New Zealand navy and U.S. Navy dive into the pool to start a 200-meter freestyle relay during a Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) international swim meet. Over one hundred Sailors from multiple nations gathered at Scott Pool to compete in a friendly swim meet and get to know each other prior to the start of the operational portion of RIMPAC 2012. Twenty-two nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC exercise from Jun. 29 to Aug. 3, in and around the Hawaiian Islands. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the worlds oceans. RIMPAC 2012 is the 23rd exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth/Released)

Photo Courtesy: Michael R. Holzworth, TSgt, USAF

By Kaylie Noll, Swimming World College Intern

With July almost over, it’s the time of the year when summer recreational league teams are starting to wrap up. For some swimmers, this means that they won’t be back in the pool to do laps until next summer. For others, it means it is time to go back to their club team and get fully immersed into year-round swimming again if they had taken a break from club swimming. And for yet another group, if they had been doing both summer rec and club swimming, it is time to let go of the recreational swim meets until next year.

But for a select group of summer-only swimmers, now is also the time that they realize that they aren’t ready to let go of their favorite summer activity.

If you got hooked on the sport this summer and are thinking about joining a club team, you may feel uncertain of what you’re getting yourself into, and that’s okay. Making the decision to really dive into the sport takes some serious consideration.

That’s why these eight Peoria Area Water Wizards club swimmers are here to give their advice and opinions on choosing to upgrade from your summer recreational league to a club swim team, but also inform you on how different the two can be.

“Club swimming is a different level than summer-only swimming. It’s a commitment. There are harder practices and harder schedules. Expect a lot more competition and a more serious environment than laid back summer meets. Also, there are so many positives. You develop friendships with your teammates and enhance your skills in the sport.”

–Collin O’Brien

“You develop relationships with your coaches and teammates over a longer period of time. Your teammates will help you become a better swimmer and person. They become your best friends, so you do more than just swim with them; you do other activities with them as well. The meets are a lot different, but they’re a lot of fun.”

–Garrett Schrock

“Summer swimming is mostly about having fun, but club swimming has a much bigger emphasis on the work. But along with the higher intensity and the higher level, you make deeper bonds with coaches and friends, and become a better swimmer. You spend more time at practice and meets with your teammates and coaches and go through tough workouts with them, so you immediately bond quicker. It’s very worth the extra commitment needed.”

–Jordan Ries

“There is a higher level of competition at meets. Many teams will travel pretty far to find that competition. As you get better on a year-round team you will enjoy the higher level competition.”

–Rachael Kelch

“There will be a lot more people at club swim meets and you will probably swim more than just a few events. They’re usually over a weekend instead of just one day.”

–Noelle Peplowski

“In club swimming you are with more people that are at your speed or even faster. You will be pushed harder.”

–Chance McQuigg

“Club practice is a really fun environment, but it’s more serious than summer league swimming because practices are usually longer and tougher. It’s definitely worth every lap in the long run because it’s an easy way to bond with teammates and get ready for some bigger, important meets.”

–Ashton Adams

“The people you swim with will become your best friends because you are all working together to get better. Even though swimming is more of an individual sport, when you are a part of a club team, everyone pushes each other and wants everyone to do well at the end of the season. Club swimming is also beneficial outside of the pool. Practices are a lot more demanding and take up more time, which teaches you how to manage your time with school, friends, and swimming.”

–Kate Smarjesse

Now that you’ve heard advice from experienced club swimmers themselves, it’s time for you to sit down and think.

Do you want to put in the necessary time and effort to develop your skills? Do you want a new, beneficial experience? Or are you completely content with swimming one to two months a year in summer recreational league?

Whether you decide to pursue one option or the other, what matters is that you choose an option that allows you to best enjoy participating in this one-of-a-kind sport.

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