I once asked my mom why she and my dad never went out on the weekends or did anything for themselves. In reply, she turned to me and said, “We used to have a life, now we’re swim parents,” and it finally made sense. Although I don’t swim anymore, I am still very much involved in the sport. Being one of four girls -- all swimmers -- and being a swim coach for my area's swim team, I can confidently say I know my way around a pool.

Swimming is one of the most time-consuming sports, not only for the swimmer but for the whole family. When you’re a swimmer, you spend hours driving to and from practice; from the time the sun rises to well after it has set. The long hours spent swimming laps back and forth in the pool all seem to blur together, but what sticks out the most is the commitment of the people who got you to those practices. Without them, those long days would not have been possible. So here is a heartfelt thank you to all the swim parents out there who, before and after long days at work, have made the time to not only wake up at five a.m to bring their child to swim practice but for also spending hours in a hot natatorium cheering on their children.

The early mornings are no easy task for a swim parent, and coupled with the fact that their swimmer probably kicks and screams the whole way to practice -- like I used to -- doesn’t make it any easier. Swim parents drive through snow, sleet, rain, and shine to make sure their kids are at the pool on time. Between battling their swimmer’s resistance to attend practices, and not letting anything get in the way of delivering them to said swim practice, swim parents are definitely the toughest and most dedicated breed of parent out there. They never let an ailment, such as swimmer’s ear or bathing suit burns, keep their child out of the water, and they always make sure that they are well stocked with the latest and greatest remedies for sore shoulders and the infamous chlorine cough.

On weekends, swim parents spend hours driving to swim meets, near and far, so their child can pursue what they love and have every opportunity to improve their times. Us swimmers might never tell you swim parents this, I know that I never told mine, but that dedication means the world to them. The best feeling any swimmer knows is, no matter what the event, their parents are there cheering them on. Swim parents will never miss a second either because their bathroom and snack breaks are perfectly synched according to the heat and event that their swimmer is in. Another amazing attribute that every swim parent has is they never let a bad time discourage their swimmer, sometimes even using the excuse of “it was a slow pool,” to reassure them and make their swimmer feel better. They also push their swimmer to do their very best in every event despite their pre-race nervous jitters.

Sometimes, you question why you became a swim parent. At some point, you have probably thought about letting go and just letting your child do what they want with the sport. The idea of having free weekends to do what you want, especially the opportunity to sleep in, is any swim parents fantasy. Kids don't always know how lucky they are to have such committed parents until they push them away. I know it gets hard, I know that your child won't always be as grateful for everything you do for them, and it would be nice to finally get some time for yourself, but please don’t give up.

Swim parents are what makes the world go ‘round (at least mine). It might seem like a lot now, but one day it will all be over. One day you will wake up and have a whole weekend to do whatever you want. One day you won’t have to set your alarm for 4:50 a.m. One day your child won’t be a swimmer anymore and you’ll find yourself wishing you were waking up for 5 a.m. swim practice. You’ll miss the weekends spent cheering them on and the long drives to swim meets that you spent talking to each other.

So, here’s my thank you to all the swim parents, and a request for all of the swimmers out there. Swimming is one of the most time consuming sports and your parents do so much for you. They are your personal coach and your source of inspiration. They will be there for you at the end of the day no matter if you set a record or if you false start. Cherish the time that you spend with them because there is always something else they could be doing. But, they chose to spend this time with you. So, as a past swimmer and current coach, hug your swim parent today and let them know that you appreciate them. I know that I appreciate mine.