Edie Sawyer - (Author)

The Roles Music Can Play in Athletic Performance There is nothing better than listening to your favorite hype song before you race at a meet. Music plays an essential role in getting athletes prepared for swim meets and even practice, too. Let’s take a look at some of the positive results music has ...

Ohio University’s Emily Hobel was recently inducted into the Kermit Blosser Hall of Fame for her outstanding collegiate swimming career as a Bobcat from 1997-2001. As a 20-time Mid-American Conference champion and two-time NCAA Academic All American, Hobel knew what it took to stand atop the podium....

How to Avoid Burnout as a Collegiate Student-Athlete Burnout: A feeling of disinterest or dissatisfaction that many student-athletes feel at some point during their athletic career. As unfortunate as it sounds, burnout is a common feeling that athletes commonly face. For some athletes, burnout may b...

In many of my previous articles, I have emphasized the importance of change. You are never going to improve by constantly doing the same things all the time. It is so important to reflect on your past season and think about the things that went great, as well as the things that could have been done ...

All sports teach athletes life lessons that they carry with them for the rest of their lives. Swimmers go through experiences that help them learn and grow not only as athletes, but as people, too. The sport of swimming teaches kids at a young age the importance of teamwork, time management, work et...

A Typical Day in the Life of a College Swimmer It’s about that time of the year. Most college freshmen are loading up their cars and getting ready to move in to their first dorm room. Freshman year can be intimidating. Students feel an abundance of emotions leading up to move-in day, and they may fe...

Ohio Bobcats Add Zach Closson as New Assistant Swim Coach California native Zach Closson has been named the Assistant Women’s Swimming Coach at Ohio University for the 2024-25 season. After spending three years as a coach for Mecklenburg Swim Association, Closson was ready to dive back into the coll...

Navigating 5 Uncontrollable Environmental Factors at Swim Meets Every swim meet offers something to be excited about, whether that means you are eager to race, spend time with your teammates or travel to a new place. Despite all of the fun and exciting things that swim meets offer, there are sometim...

The Biggest Change that College Swimmers Face - Their Priorities One of the biggest regrets that many college student-athletes face after they graduate is wishing that they had done things a little differently, tried a little harder and cared a little more. Adjusting from high school to college is v...

One of the biggest challenges that swimmers face in college is adjusting to change. Coaching staff changes at the collegiate level happen frequently, especially assistant coaching positions. Typically, assistant coaches stay at the same school anywhere between 1-3 years. Athletes spend almost every ...

The Olympic-Watching Experience and the Role It Can Play for Viewers The Summer Olympic Games: A time when people from all over the globe come together to celebrate the world’s most talented athletes as they compete to be crowned as the best in their sport. The Olympic-watching experience can be des...

4 Characteristics That Define a Great Leader Sports grow athletes into extraordinary people and strong leaders. As a swimmer, you learn leadership qualities and skills that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. All teams have leaders, but great leaders are the people who make a differen...

Motivational Monday: Why the Olympics is So Impactful Among Youth Swimmers The Summer Olympics only come around once every four years, featuring the world’s most talented athletes. Swimming is known to be one of the most watched Olympic sports. The Olympics, as well as the Olympic Trials, are both v...

6 Simple Ways for Swimmers to Improve That Don't Require Any Talent As swimmers, we are always finding ways to improve not only as athletes, but as people, too. Changing your habits or focusing on the areas that you are weak in are both fundamental ways to improve. Change can go a long way because y...

8 Dead Giveaways of a Swimmer; Some Looks Cannot Be Avoided! Whether you always throw your hair up in a messy bun after practice, or you radiate the smell of chlorine, all swimmers have distinct qualities, making it pretty clear what sport they do. Read below to see eight features that scream ‘swimm...

Expect the Unexpected: How to Adapt as a Swimmer (Examples Included) Swimming is a sport that is filled with many highs, lows, laughs, tears, friendships, frustrations and, of course, unexpected outcomes. As athletes, we have to learn how to adapt in any given moment no matter the situation. Whether...

A Swimming Dictionary: 50 of the Most Common Swimming Terms and What They Mean Many sports use different terminology that only athletes who participate in the sport understand. Swimming is one of those sports that uses lingo that only swimmers might comprehend. When swimmers explain to their parents...

8 Swimming 'Beige Flags': In Between a Green Flag and a Red Flag I am sure many people are familiar with the TikTok trend where individuals share their significant other’s “beige flags.” For those who are unaware of the humorous trend, a beige flag is something that somebody does that makes others t...

Every swimmer loves a good power workout. What is better than a practice full of short reps, lots of rest and a whole lot of speed? Power practices are designed for swimmers to not only train fast, but can be accomplished while wearing resistance gear. Resistance training and speed are the two bigge...

What Makes a GREAT Coach? An Athlete and Coach Perspective The best coaches are people who are influential, motivational, supportive, caring, positive and willing to help their athletes. Many mentors might display some of these qualities, but it takes someone special to represent them all. Great coa...