Last Day of NEISDAs Canceled Due to Blizzard: Swimmers Stunned

NEISDA-50-breast
Photo Courtesy: Katherine Brady

By Diana Pimer, Swimming World College Intern

The repetitive life of a swimmer seems never-ending: Set the alarm for 5 a.m., go to bed early, wake up, swim, go to classes, swim again, repeat. The repetitiveness of the sport itself yet again seems like it’s never going to end: keep the black line on your left, flip, repeat for thousands upon thousands of yards.

Most swimmers determine when they will see the light at the end of their tunnel. They decide not to swim in college or they know that that 200 butterfly on the last day of their conference championship will not only be the last but the most glorious.

That moment you hit the wall on your last race is a moment of triumph, perseverance, and personal glory. However, along with a few dozen of my NEISDA classmates, I wouldn’t know.

History In the Making

The 2015 NEISDA Championships were definitely the most eventful in the last four years. Even prelims were exciting on day one, as Keene State’s Alison Bartlett set a meet record in the 50 freestyle by .03 seconds. Later that night, Gordon’s India Boland (500 freestyle- 4:59.04) and Keene’s Diana Pimer (200 IM- 2:07.38) set two more meet records.

The next day, Boland struck gold again in meet record fashion in the 200 freestyle (1:52.99) and Keene’s Randy Dunton did the same in the 100 backstroke (51.04).

Facing Adversity

However, on the morning of the last day of competition, the final day of the NEISDA Championship was cancelled. Because of the blizzard, our facility would not let us into the building, meaning that hopes of best times and NCAA cuts were suddenly shut down. While this was the best decision for everyone’s safety, it was still not how the NEISDA seniors wanted to end their final season.

Personally, I was overwhelmed with confusing emotions. When your best event is on the last day of the meet and the meet gets cancelled, it almost feels like you’ve gotten the wind knocked out of you or someone punched you in the gut. It’s an unexpected feeling that is difficult to imagine unless you are in the situation. Basically, swimming broke up with us.

Whether seniors were swimming the 100 IM or the mile on Sunday, all of a sudden swimming careers over 15 years long came to a close. Some swimmers were happy, others were sad, but the majority of us were just stunned. When you’re a swimmer, you never think your last race is going to come.

To the NEISDA seniors, I know this is not how you all imagined your senior season to end. I hope that the memories you have created over the past four years will make up for that 200 fly you didn’t get to do. Even though deep down, you wanted to swim that 200 fly one last time.

To the NEISDA underclassmen and every other swimmer, do not take the sport you love for granted. When you are tired in the middle of the season, when you are swimming the 800 free relay at a random invitational, and in that second 400 IM of the day at your championship meet – swim every race like it’s your last, because it very well could be.

One Last Chance

Luckily, thanks to the diligent work of coaches and athletic directors throughout the conference, the final session of the NEISDA Championship is rescheduled and will take place at 4:15 pm on Saturday in Boston, Mass. However, the meet will be non-scored, so most teams are letting their athletes choose if they want to come or not.

I know on my own team, we only have a handful of swimmers attending the meet. I can only imagine that the other teams have similar situations. I know I am grateful for getting the chance to extend my swimming career for six extra days.

They say everything happens for a reason, I guess a couple of us just weren’t ready to hang up our goggles yet.

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Jocelyne Humbert O'Kane

Wow, nothing cancels swimming. Sorry for the lost opportunities, poor seniors, swimming needs to protect their athletes more.

Andrew Hebert
9 years ago

Haha yes. Yes we were. Making it up Saturday though!

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