How Swimming Has Affected My Life Rebecca Papritz

Giving up my weekend nights for swim practice was something I was used to by the time I reached high school. Swimming, I felt, was my niche, and with that niche came many sacrifices. Yet, for all the “hardships” that came with it, I earned the benefits back ten-fold.

Practices were three nights a week and consisted of merciless sets of sprinting, kicking and pulling. Of course there was always the option of taking a breather, but would the Coach consider us “true” members of the team if we sat out? It was not very likely. The only device that kept us sane during practice was counting down the time on the clock, “Just thirty more minutes, and I can relax for another twenty-two hours.” Getting home in time to shower and finish homework before midnight was considered a miraculous occurrence, but the cycle repeated itself as we would get up the next day and do it all over again.

However, there are many other aspects to this sport besides being in physical shape. The one I most value is teamwork. Swimming is a sport that allows the individual to stand out while still being a tight-knit team, much like schools strive to achieve. This type of environment has helped me to reach my full potential while helping others reach theirs. Above...