The Phases of Swimming: From Lessons to Retirement

Photo Courtesy: Azaria Basile

The Phases of Swimming: From Lessons to Retirement

By Erin Himes, Swimming World College Intern

In the normal life cycle of a career, there are a few phases of swimming most of us go through. While the incredibly talented turn swimming into a career after college, many conclude their competitive career there. Each phase of swimming along the way is categorized by a number of things that make it special. Let’s take a look at the important moments in most swimming careers.

Lessons

Photo Courtesy: Chasi Annexy

You may not remember this clearly, but it is likely your parents do. You were either a screaming child who hated the water or you couldn’t be pulled away. Regardless, the best part of this phase is that it got you into the sport you continued!

Summer League

summer-league-swimmers

Often the next step, summer league is characterized by sunny days, snack bar food, and post-meet sleepovers with your friends. This is what made swimming fun and gave you those team values that you likely carried with you from here on out. Summer league has all of the perks of swimming, like team building and racing, without as much of the terribly hard training, which is an obvious plus.

Age Group

Photo Courtesy:

If you really loved summer league, you might’ve started to swim for a club team. This starts off as equally fun with more competition and quickly begins to fill all of your time. Age group swimming introduces you to some of the best people and makes swimming a core value in your world. This is likely where you began to learn how much you could eat after a hard practice.

Senior Age Group

scottsdale-aquatic-club-junior-nationals

Photo Courtesy: Donna Nelson

The elite levels of club swimming deserve a category of their own because if you made it here it means you didn’t waver at the temptations of playing another sport. At this point, it’s gotten serious and your teammates and coaches are your family. This is worth it for the great friendships you make and the amount of pasta you feel justified to consume. The intensity of club has its ups and downs, but proves itself to be worth it every year.

High School Team

rosary-high-school-state-championship-illinois

Photo Courtesy: Brian O’Mahoney Twitter @OMahoneyPhoto

Balanced in tandem with club, high school season brings about some of those same values that summer league once instilled. Although more intense, the competition reminds you why you love to swim, as does the amount of team building. The bonding and camaraderie that high school swimming can provide allows a nice breather a few times a week from the intensity of club.

College

Photo Courtesy: Chuckarelei / Pac-12

College takes the intensity of club swimming and the team competition and bonding of high school and throws them together. Everything is heightened, in the best way. The stakes are higher, but the friendships much stronger. It’s hard to not bond with a teammate while doing everything together, from downing coffee before your 10 am class to waking up at 5 AM to get on a bus to a meet.

Retirement

Illinois Masters world record relay team

Photo Courtesy: AJ Block

With the end of competition, the possibilities for how to continue your swimming career are endless. Some choose masters swimming, others begin triathlons, and others never want to get back in the water ever again. Whatever your take, swimming will always be there to fall back on.

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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18 Comments

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Cameron Long

7 years ago

Cxx

Laurie Hegarty Giampietro

7 years ago

Liv Giampietro

Christy Lynn Wasilkowski

7 years ago

Vonnie Tasker

7 years ago

Debbie Edge, and Anne Adami I think we moms go through phases as much as the kids, after all, their sports changes the family’s whole life style, and no sport is complete without parents involvement ????‍♀️????

Paula Purcell

7 years ago

And what a great journey it’s been Allyx Purcell ??

Julie Liegel Miller

7 years ago

KaitlynMiller Kassandra Miller Julie Presny Kari Adank Haselwander Nancy Petrick Giulia Brickl Stacie Williams R Marie Brickl Debbi Godwin Mark Orr Vickie Grosinske Reuter

Emma Hindell

7 years ago

Wade Hindell

Anne Adami

7 years ago

The good old days!

Cathy Ziegler

7 years ago

so Kendra Dowdy Latorre which one are we at with our 8th graders lol?

Kendra Dowdy Latorre

7 years ago

Reply to Cathy Ziegler

So funny I read this article this morning! Love the “lessons” phase. I had one that loved it (Gianna) and one that screamed and cried and wanted to be anywhere else (Elena). Looking forward to the HS team next year!

Nancy Petrick

7 years ago

The journey has been so fun….

Dianne Schmidt Kelley

7 years ago

Celine Bollinger Schmidt Elaine Bryan Ken Schmidt Steve Schmidt Guess I roped you all in…!

Debbie Edge

7 years ago

Absolutely true Vonnie Tasker!!! Fun times though for all of us

Helen Nelligan

7 years ago

Swimming has certainly been at the top of the list in college. Glad that swimming is credited with the ability to prioritize use of time and keeping it all together without using all the energy one has. Great article on the many
Benefits of swimming.

Carmen Batch

2 years ago

That article on the phases of swimming is so true. My mother took my two older brothers and me( the little sister). They hate it and quick but I continue until I made it to the Olímpico (1968,Mexico). What a journey!!

Caroline sturgeon

1 year ago

So true. I grew up swimming, swam.in. college and now I am returning to the sport with Master after 25 years away from the water

Vanessa

1 year ago

What a great article. As a collegiate swimmer, I could relate all levels.

Jack

3 months ago

USA Swimming needs to make more opportunities for high level, post college swimming! Why can’t times at masters meets qualify for USA-S star series (like US Open)? Why do no masters teams train the different energy systems in a given week? Not everyone peaks in high school. Seems like retirement is forced after losing NCAA eligibility. Many other sports, that’s just the beginning.