For nine years I was a competitive swimmer, starting with just a summer team and progressing to high school and club teams. Being a part of those teams had a lasting effect on my life, helping mold me into the person I am today. The relationships I made with my coaches and teammates still carry me through life even though I’m done with swimming.

1.How to be accountable

This was a major point with all of my coaches. Whenever I didn’t do my best at a meet I was reminded of my practice schedule for the prior weeks. I was taught to admit when I missed the mark due to missing practices. Swimming happens to be a sport where you are the only one that can determine how well you do. All sports require you to practice at a consistent basis to stay sharp and maintain team cohesion. Being accountable for missed practices or off days is one of the most valuable lessons sports teach you. Sports teach you to drag yourself out of bed to go to practice no matter how early in the morning it is. This skill is one that I have transferred to my workplace and school. Being accountable for my actions is one of my traits I’m most proud of.

2. How to roll with the punches

It’s a fact of life; sometimes not everything turns out the way you want it to. Sometimes you don’t do as well as you expected and you can’t let that ruin the rest of your day. This is especially true with sports like track and swimming where you have multiple events in the same day. There were many instances where I felt the bitter disappointment of not making a qualifying time but I learned to keep my morale up in order to do my best in my other events. I remember one swim meet I swam the 100-backstroke event and came within .03 seconds of the Junior Champs qualifying time in the event. As I climbed out of the water I looked at the time board and my heart dropped into my stomach, I had never been more disappointed with myself. Later on in that same swim meet I dropped an insane amount of time in another event because I was able to compartmentalize my disappointment, turn around and swim my other event with a blank slate.

3. Your team is like your family

Sports are a high intensity, high-energy connection which makes it all the more special. When you spend more time with your sports team than you do with your family it is easy to love every person on your team. I was lucky enough to swim with a small group with Nation’s Capital Swim Club (NCAP). There were only nine of us my last year swimming. We saw each other essentially every day, meaning we shared almost everything with each other and we became very tight knit. When someone succeeded it felt like we all did, and we were always on the pool deck cheering each other on. It’s a remarkable feeling to be surrounded by a group of people who are your age, all wanting you to succeed and knowing the more personal aspects of your life; like how you look at 5 o’clock in the morning before a practice. Knowing you have that support behind you makes you feel on top of the world. I know that the support system is still there whenever I visit my old teams.

I was lucky enough to be a part of something great and healthy that contributed to some of my favorite attributes. Sports are a great way to meet new people and create lasting relationships. I learned some of my most important life lessons in the pool and I wouldn’t give up those experiences for the world.