It’s hard to believe that a bunch 18 year olds and five year olds could get along as well as we all do, but we’ve been through a lot together. We’ve made it through the worst practices where we thought we were going to die during conditioning. We’ve made it through the disappointment of losing meets by one point. We’ve made it through transition years between coaches. We’ve won together, lost together, cried together, laughed together. We have this incredible bond literally created by blood, sweat and tears.

Such a strong bond that I could never imagine swimming for another team. Swimming against people who are like my second family. One thing that we do so much better than other teams seem to, is we take care of each other. 16 year olds help five year olds get to their races on time. The oldest team members coach the youngest kids. We help each other set up for meets, we draw all over our team-mates with sharpies, make posters for each other, and we genuinely care about each other. We keep each other positive and motivated, and we hold each other accountable.

Sometimes it can be hard. Between the crazy early morning and twice a day practices, the conditioning that leaves us gasping for air. The dry-land that makes us question why we’re doing this to ourselves at 8 a.m. on a summer morning. The disappointment when we add time or lose a big relay. The bruises and the exhaustion. The tears for our favorite coaches leaving.

But it’s also incredibly rewarding. When we dance to stupid songs blasting through loudspeakers during meets that’ve gotten delayed by thunderstorms. Navigate the gross away meet locker rooms. Share towels, throw Goldfish at each other. When we do our team cheers and we feel like one big family. Making our coaches drink cans of questionable sodas. When we win individual events by 0.01 seconds. When we win meets by five points. How we can hear our coaches screaming at us to go faster from above the crowd. Throwing each other in the pool when we win a big meet. When the whole team is going crazy, lined up on the deck, screaming at the top of our lungs for a relay during Championships.

I wouldn’t trade that feeling for anything in the world.

Now let’s get out there and kick ass at Championships.