Maddie Strasen - (Author)

By Maddie Strasen High school seasons begin and end at multiple times during the year. Some are nearing the end of their scholastic days. For those racing in high school competition for one of the last times, or for a final year, the end of a high school career is bittersweet. It’s important to reme...

Advice for the High School Swimmer Considering College By Maddie Strasen Senior year of high school is one of the most stressful years for swimmers. Some decide to throw in the towel after their final high school year and call it a career—a very respectable decision. Many find that it’s time to lead...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern. This past weekend, New England swimmers gathered at Brown University for the New England Senior Championships. Growing up in Florida, my championship meet was always Florida Senior Championships or Florida Gold Coast Senior Championships, held in Orl...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern. Even if you’ve only completed a year of college swimming, returning to USA Swimming and your old club team can make you feel like you’ve been gone for ages. College and club swimming can feel like two completely different worlds, but both should have...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern. Almost everything we do in life is based on our language. We can either wake up, tell ourselves we’re going to have a good day, and make the most of every moment, or we can beat down on ourselves or others to foster a negative environment. We incorpo...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern Whether you’re going home or staying on campus, training throughout the summer is crucial for college swimmers to stay in shape and remember their goals. Although it can be difficult to push through practice in addition to working a job, balancing a s...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern. Although there’s debate on whether or not swimming is the toughest sport out there, there’s no arguing that it’s difficult when your teammates are also your competition. As your team works towards one common goal, we each work towards our own goals, ...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern. Retiring Ohio State men’s swimming coach Bill Wadley has accumulated several impressive numbers over 33 years of coaching in the Big Ten. He has mentored more than 35 world-ranked swimmers, with 15 of his student-athletes reaching the Olympics. He co...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern Your training group is seemingly who you spend almost all your time with. There’s something comforting in knowing you aren’t struggling through a swim practice or a lift session by yourself. Training groups are the people you can be open with about yo...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern Colleen Driscoll propelled herself to the starting blocks, leaned her crutches behind the timers and hopped up on the blocks, awaiting the horn. Making her turns on one foot, there was no way she would contend for victories or personal best times, and...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern You’ve worked hard all season. You’re tapered, shaved, and a combination of nervous and excited to see where your times will stand at your conference or championship meet. Your mind flows with internal pressures while your coaches or teammates may add...

It’s that time of year when collegiate swimmers travel across (or even outside) the country to train at the next level. Most people look at you in awe when you tell them what tropical location you’re headed to to soak up the sun. However, they never really interpret the true purpose of training trip...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern With 2017 quickly approaching, it’s an ideal time for swimmers to reflect on the past 12 months. Chances are, all have had their share of ups and downs throughout the year. Making New Year’s resolutions for the upcoming year of swimming – and sticking...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern In a sport where mechanics and proper technique are so crucial, injuries are bound to happen somewhere along the road. Although not all injuries are career threatening, it can often be difficult for swimmers to manage an injury on their own, especiall...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World college intern “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” It’s a concept that might have been drilled into your mind throughout your swimming career. Although the philosophy proves true—talent only brings an athlete so far—swimming remains one of the mo...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World college intern Every athlete experiences setbacks at one time or another, whether they are caused by injury, illness, burnout or any number of factors. Cailin Cannella is no exception, but the Florida teenager has vowed not to let what some would consider major setb...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern. Perhaps you struggle with anxiety, depression or another mental illness yourself, or maybe you’re helping a friend through his or her battle. Mental illnesses are no walks in the park themselves, and adding the stress of a sport doesn’t make the stru...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern It’s 4:45 a.m. It’s pitch black outside—the sun has yet to rise. You debate in your head whether to turn off your alarm and go back to bed or endure the pain of morning practice. You unwillingly get out of your warm bed and face the freezing cold air,...

By Maddie Strasen, Swimming World College Intern Kelley Allen never stood still, sprinting up and down the pool deck to urge on his swimmers in each race. In fact, the popular club coach in Florida’s Tampa-St. Petersburg area proved he could not even sit still. Once, after a leg condition forced him...