4 Reasons Why College Swimming Is About More Than Sport

By Lillian Nelson, Swimming World College Intern

Aside from the cool gear, toned muscles, and athlete status that swimming in college can provide for you, there are a few more things to consider outside of the pool that make the experience even more valuable. The following are just a few of the outside perks that come with college swimming…

1. A Built-in Family

Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien

One of the biggest advantages of swimming for a college team is that you go into a brand new environment with an automatic family. Each member of your team, including your coaches, can help you learn things you probably didn’t even think you needed to learn.

Whether you need help in the classroom, or are just learning how to be away from home for the first time, your team contains a wealth of experience and knowledge, and all you need to do is ask. Odds are, your upperclassmen struggled with the same things you did throughout their career, and are more than willing to help you out. There is no stronger support system than a college swim team.

2. Academic Support and Tutoring

Photo Courtesy: Johannes Jansson

Athlete study hall, team academic advisors, and unlimited tutoring help are all there for student athletes, so it is virtually impossible for us to fail. Academic support for athletes is important, to ensure that we do not fall behind in our classes due to the demands of our sport.

Freshman year especially, adjusting to the college lifestyle can be overwhelming. Most colleges require a certain number of hours per week to be spent in study hall. This may seem like a pain at first, but it really does help you get on the right track, pick up good study habits, and learn time management skills that you will use the rest of your college career and out in the real world.

Swimming is a major time consumer. A typical college swimmer spends about 20 hours per week training in the pool and weight room, in addition to swimming in a full schedule of dual meets, invitationals, the conference championship meet, and any competition beyond that.

On the academic side of being a college swimmer, the athlete must be enrolled as a full time student, which requires a full schedule of classes. It can be very easy to fall behind these in classes due to missed sessions for meets. The balance required to be a student-athlete is nothing to be feared. There are plenty of people who want to see you succeed. The academic support is there, and all you need to do is ask.

3. Homes Away from Home

Photo Courtesy: Wisconsin Athletics

Something I have come to appreciate the most in my college career, is the fact that now I not only have my family at home in California, but I have teammates’ families all over the other side of the country that are generously willing to host me on long weekends or holidays when going all the way home isn’t an option.

On the flip side, I have had the wonderful experience of hosting some of my teammates in my own hometown, sharing their first experiences across the country from their homes and where we attend school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Being over 3,000 miles away from home, I have had the pleasure of staying with teammates and their families on occasion, even if it is only for a few of us to get off campus for a weekend and get a home-cooked meal. Of course, nothing compares to going home after months away at school, but having new ‘extended family’ is something that not many people outside of college athletics get to experience. It is a luxury that I will always cherish and be grateful for.

4. Advice Coming From Experience

Photo Courtesy: Denison

College swim teams are filled with a wide range of backgrounds, paths, and personalities. All of which have learned things that you may not have learned or quite figured out yet. These different experiences are meant to be shared, and can often help you learn more about both yourself and others, and get on the right track leading into the rest of your life.

Swimming in college can and will be stressful. You are constantly trying to balance training, academics, and getting as many naps in as possible in order to keep your sanity. Understanding what you’re going through, both your teammates and coaches want to see you to succeed. So if you need help, ask. It’s normal and completely okay to not know what you’re doing at some point or another.

Whether you are deciding whether or not you want to change your major, or what professor to take for a class, etc., asking for advice from others can be very helpful. Believe it or not, your college coaches were once your age, most likely swimming in college, earning a degree, and trying to figure their life out. Just like you. Learn from the experiences of others, and let others learn from your experiences.

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