College swimming gave me confidence for my future
When I was a chubby 6-year-old, I told my dad I wanted to start swimming because “you don’t sweat in the water.”
For the next 15 years, my desire to exercise and not sweat lead me on a path that culminated in a less-than-stellar collegiate swimming career at Oswego State.
But I’m grateful I had the opportunity to swim in college at all.
Only 7. 4 percent of high school girls who compete in swimming will go on to swim in college, according to data from the NCAA.
Of that 7.4 percent, 3 percent compete at the Div. III level.
I was part of that 3 percent.
I didn’t swim for a free education or national recognition, not that many college swimmers get that anyway. I decided to swim in college because I loved the sport.
The first week of practice at my club team, the Tonawanda Titans, was so hard I told my parents I wanted to quit. They told me to stick it out a little longer and everything would get easier with practice.
They were right.
Swimming became one of the biggest parts of my life. By the time high school rolled around, I wasn’t a great swimmer. I was decent. Average.
But I was fueled to keep swimming. I craved the sense of accomplishment that washed over me when I set a goal, worked hard and accomplished it.
I committed to Oswego State for swimming in April of my senior year. My dream of being a collegiate athlete was finally coming true.
But college swimming wasn’t what I thought it would be.
I did not like my coach at first. The training was very different than what I was used to. My old shoulder injury came back. The dining hall food began to catch up with me.
My first SUNYAC meet was disappointing. I didn’t swim nearly as fast as I had in high school nor did I accomplish my goal of making top eight in my events.
I was determined to do better the next year. And I did. But it wasn’t easy.
At the beginning of my second season, I had a falling out with my roommates, who were my best friends and teammates.
I became depressed. I wanted to quit so badly. I wanted to walk into coach’s office and tell him I couldn’t do it anymore.
But I never did that.
When I wanted to quit, I thought back to that little girl who pushed through her first week of practice and fell in love with swimming. So I kept trucking along.
At my final SUNYAC meet, I failed to make finals in any of my events.
I remember walking over to coach after my last race and saying, “Well, that was my last race ever” and then bursting into tears.
I didn’t think I would cry. I told everyone I wasn’t going to be sad when it was over, but I was so sad.
Even though my college swimming career was incredibly frustrating, I knew I was going to miss it. A huge part of my life was suddenly over.
I may not have gone a single best time or accomplished any of the athletic goals I set for myself during my time as a Laker, but I wouldn’t change what I learned about myself for a school record or SUNYAC title.
I grew as a person. I challenged myself to push through the hard times, even when I wanted to give up. Swimming in college has given me the confidence to realize that no matter what life throws at me as I embark on adulthood, I’ll be able to conquer it.
