Dear QHS Swim Team,

Recently, I attempted to do one of your workouts after a hiatus of months and months (I don't think I've done a real pool workout since July?), and if I could describe it in one word, I can't-- it would be unintelligible noises and gasping for air. Of course, after such a long time, I definitely did not expect to hop back in and be up to speed in my prime, but that would have been nice, in theory. It's great to see everyone doing so well. I miss you guys a lot.

Being on the team for four years, and knowing so many of you for so much longer, your impact on my life has been no less than monumental. My experiences up until this point have carried over into my life out of the pool, and I cannot stress to you how much you are mean to me. Every single person with whom I came into contact has played a role in shaping me into the person I am today-- everyone.

I went through three head coaches over the course of my four years; the first who I encountered almost made me want to quit the team-- your stereotypical coach who doesn't actually want to be on the pool deck, who doesn't truly care about the team the way a coach ought to. While we had our differences, I respected her, and that year, I learned that not everyone is going to agree with everyone else; in the real world, people will butt heads, and while it can be unpleasant, it's no reason to give up.

My second coach, during my sophomore and junior year, was my coach since the day I ditched my swim floaties, essentially. Needless to say, I was incredibly happy to be under his guidance; he knew me as an athlete, I was already familiar with his coaching style, he made life easy, in a sense (I still wanted to drown myself during practice, but that's true in any case). From him, I learned that while it feels great to stay in one's comfort zone, we shouldn't. To be able to grow as a person, you must step out of your comfort zone and try new things-- this is true in and out of the pool. I continued to grow as an athlete and met some truly incredible people, people that eventually became some of the closest and most precious friends in my life.

My final coach during my senior year, truly pushed me to my limits. I found myself wheezing and out of breath every, single, day. However, rather than getting frustrated, for some reason, I felt inclined to keep going, as if I needed to prove myself to someone. In a sense, I did need to-- to myself, as my times stopped dropping and I was nowhere near where I wanted to be; and with senioritis and college applications, the last thing I wanted to do was swimming laps. Yet under all of the exasperated sighs and asking myself why I was still involved in this sport, being on a team, with you all, being a captain for you, it was exceptionally great. At one point, I caught myself thinking, "If I'm not going to swim for the times, I need to swim to be with everyone." As that mindset took hold, I found my times dropping-- I was the fastest I had been in a long, long time. My final coach taught me that with love for others, teamwork, and hard work, nothing is out of reach.

I have a reputation for being the sentimental one on the team; I'm the "Team Mom." And I know you get tired of it sometimes, but I just can't help but write my thoughts out when they come to me, so bear with me for a little longer.

High school is tough. Swimming and then trying to do classwork while you're starving and keeling over in sleepiness is tough. My advice to you is to find the little things, such as being able to be on a team with such wonderful people, the snowball fights in the wintertime while in your bathing suits, the movie nights and dinners together. I won't say high school will be the best four years of your life (because let's face it, if they are, you're not doing what you need to do), as more exciting and incredible days lie ahead. Do not stress about your grades too much, find time for friends and family, and when it comes time to choose what you want to do with your future, it should not feel forced. You will end up where you are meant to end up. Keep swimming, and I wish you the best.

Love,

Your 2014-2016 Captain