A Love-Hate Relationship — Confessions of an Eighth-Grade Swimmer

Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien

By Maggie Belbot, eighth-grader at Bryn Mawr School.

I hate swimming.

Well, hate is a pretty strong word. But strongly dislike would be a pretty accurate description of my relationship with the sport. I’m kidding, only kinda half-kidding though because I definitely have those days where I would rather do anything else than jump in that cold, freezing pool.

And I know what anyone who knows me is probably thinking right now, ‘What?! You invest almost 15 hours of your week into something that you hate?’

Well, here are the 5 reasons I hate, well half-hate swimming.

So, first of all, the morning practices. Mornings are difficult for everyone, those Mondays where you would rather sleep in and avoid all of your responsibilities for that day and would kill for just 5 more minutes. Well, for me, waking up at 6:30 for school every day, is sleeping in! For a typical weekend, practices start right at 7, leaving me no time at all to ever fully sleep in.

Second of all, the smell. I am sick of the scent of chlorine. The smell is always on me like a perfume, even after I shower. People around always seem to comment on the abnormal smell. Thanks for noticing, guys!

Third of all, the practices. I am typically the person who really enjoys practice because to me, it’s just a time to talk to all of my best friends. But to my coach, it’s a time to be “serious” and to “focus”, which really seems to ruin the fun of it all. Also, practice can be really hard, not to complain because hard sets are how you get better but … sometimes practices are really hard. I mean really, really hard. At least two people get out and cry and sometimes even throw up. I am proud to say that I’ve never been the person to throw up, but that does not mean that tears and nausea haven’t come.

Fourth of all, the meets. You have to wake up incredibly early, typically around 5:30, to drive to the pool. When you drop at meets, meaning you swim faster than your personal fastest time, it’s gratifying and exciting. But when you touch the wall after the race has ended, read your time off the clock, and see that you added, meaning you swam slower than your personal best, a feeling of disappointment, discouragement, and annoyance fills your body. You had just tried your best, swam your hardest, exerted all of your energy into an event that didn’t pay off.

Fifth of all, the suits. For a non-swimmer, a bathing suit is something you wear to the beach, the pool, or just something to lie around in during the summer to get a tan, but for swimmers, a bathing suit is like our permanent uniform. Suits made for racing come in several different styles, ranging from a normal one piece, to ones that reach your knees. They take an hour to put on and have the potential to rip by just looking at them. There are a variety of brands and sizes to choose from, but they all seem to have one thing in common: they are all extremely uncomfortable. They leave weird red marks all over your legs, shoulders, and back that never seem to fade.

Maggie with Beth Botsford. Photo Courtesy: Tom Hines

The list goes on and on for why swimming sucks sometimes, but the list also goes on in a more positive direction.

Swimming has been a part of my life for as long as I remember. I began taking mommy-and-me classes and I joined my first team when I was only five.

As I have grown up, swimming has grown with me. It has been the one friend that has always seemed to stick by me and has truly become my passion.

Swimming has become a part of me. Even on my worst day at the pool, I could never imagine losing it. And if I am being completely honest, finishing a hard set is one of the most rewarding things in the world. Having your whole day ahead because you practiced early is always nice and the suits we wear for competition do look pretty cool.

And even if you have one of those swims where, to quote my coach, “your grandmother could swim faster than that” or “maybe you should try bowling”, you know that your team was behind you cheering.

Swimming has allowed me to grow confident, strong and resilient in everything that I do. I love swimming, and this time I really mean it.

Maggie Belbot was featured as an up-and-comer in Swimming World in March 2016.

All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.

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Sam

5 years ago

Great read! My daughter is only going into the sixth grade but I can relate on so many levels. Thank you

Tucker Rivera

5 years ago

Say it louder for the people in the back, kiddo ????

Theresa Favini

5 years ago

Sabrina Favini

Patricia Jobin

5 years ago

Cassandra Stejskal

Rachel Ahola Tyler

5 years ago

Chloe Tyler?

Hope

5 years ago

Hi I am Hope and I am a competitive swimmer too!I think you are really cool✌??

Jocelyn McCann

5 years ago

Gabriel Michaud

Macs Jacinto

5 years ago

Akiane

Heather Raley

5 years ago

Rudy Grodsky Hurley, Danielle Gardner Villagomez; Dena Wise Furlow

Liza

5 years ago

Reply to Heather Raley

Maggie, you are an inspiration to all around you! We are happy to see you succeed and do so well… as a swim mom, I can also see our love/hate relationship with such a time consuming sport, but the gratification is more than what we put in as parents!!! We only want to see those smiles when you succeed!!!! Succeeding is not only dropping time or wining an event, it’s enjoying what you do, participating in such a great team, how your teammates become your family, personal growth in so many aspects, and the list can go on and on… ❤️

Scott Baker

5 years ago

Perfect. ?

Bess Swanson

5 years ago

Well said Maggie! Keep plugging along. Swimming is a love/hate.

Laurel von Holtz

5 years ago

Alexa von Holtz

Kelly Hubbard-Johnson

5 years ago

Marla Simpson Ruzicka great read, not about dance, but written by a middle school girl.

Teri Mortimer Lavo

5 years ago

Nailed it. All five reasons are spot on except when I swam some 30 years ago suits to the knees were not invented yet.

Nichole Blennert

5 years ago

❤️Evelyn❤️

Anita

5 years ago

May I add….as a former swimmer, coach and parent of 4 successful student athletes, parents and coaches have a love/ hate relationship with swimming as well, albeit different.

Anna

5 years ago

Reply to Anita

Keep talking to express feelings, keep working hard to accomplish your goals, keep finding ways to be a great leader, and keep swimming!! To quote a famous person – “if it was easy, everone would do it; it’s the hard that makes it great”. ?