Running Header: Swimming: A Barely Understood Community 1

Swimming: A Barely Understood Community

Seyed Hejazi

Arizona State University (Downtown Phoenix)

Swimming: A Barely Understood Community 2

Abstract

This essay was written for English 101 for Michael Pfister at the Arizona State University

(Downtown Campus). This essay is about the lesser known swimming community. About what it

is like to be a swimmer, of any level, and what it is like to be apart of that community.

​ SU, Downtown, ENG 101, swimming, community

Keywords: A
Swimming: A Barely Understood Community 2

Be honest, do you consider swimming a sport? In the same category as basketball or

football? Something more than just an event you watch every four years when Michael Phelps

swims in the Olympics? Or is it just a hobby, maybe just part of your workout routine to get a

little bit of cardio in because you may have bad knees and can’t run. However, what if I told you

there is so much more to the sport of swimming and that there is a whole community to back it

up. A community of swimmers, coaches and parents all closely knit together and all of which are

like family to one another. The question I asked myself that started this journey of research was

“what is it like to be a swimmer?” I asked myself this question after reading an article about what

a college swimmers life is like. So I set out to do some research. I found three swimmers to

interview about my inquiry. Each swimmer was at a different level in their career, one a high

school swimmer, one a division one commit, and one a division one swimmer. I asked each

swimmer the same set of ten questions. The reason the questions were the same was that I

wanted to see the difference in answers. I would say I learned a lot about the swimming

community, which I would like to share.

For my research, I got very lucky. I was able to actually go to a swim practice and not

only observe, but also to participate in the practice. I live in Scottsdale and we have a few local

club teams. I was fortunate enough to go to one of my local club teams swim practices (Lifetime

Aquatics). While I was there I observed what the swimmers did. Such as before a practice,

during and after a practice. In addition to this observation, I was able to interview one of the

swimmers (Elijah Nevins). I as well interviewed two additional swimmers (Jaedin Clark and

Madison LeBlanc), both on different teams as well as different levels (Phoenix Swim Club and

Columbia University). I asked all three of the swimmers the same ten questions. The reason
Swimming: A Barely Understood Community 2

behind the same set of ten questions is that I wanted to see the difference in responses and

compare them to one another. Maybe there is a difference in response at different levels? As for

the secondary research, I looked up articles that described what it is like being a swimmer. In

regards to the daily life and grind and how they balance everything and make time for it.

The object or artifact related to swimming is very unique, only relating to the sport of

swimming. It is the routine swimmers do before they get up onto the block and race. While I was

at Lifetime observing and participating at a practice, one of the things I observed is what the

swimmers did before they raced. This routine (artifact) is unique to each swimmer. They each

came up with they do before a race all up on their own, and also change it accordingly depending

on how they swim. After seeing this I asked the swimmer I interviewed on that team what he

specifically does before a race, “I take five deep breaths, three high jumps and slap my arms and

legs.” (Personal Communication October 13, 2018) I then also asked the other two swimmers I

interviewed that same question. What I learned after was that all the routines are different.

Furthermore, one very important location for swimmers is obviously the swimming pool and less

obviously the weight room. They go up to nine times a week to the pool and up to six times a

week in the weight room. That is where they practice practice practice so that they get better. At

the practice I got to participate in, I got to see first hand exactly how hard they work. I myself

though I was in decent shape and had to pause multiple times to catch my breath. Throughout

these practices they attend, at each one they interact with their team and coaches. Which is why

they become so close to one another and treat each other like family.

The significance of the results I got are simply that swimmers work hard. Also that the

group of swimmers in its entirety are very close to one another. Basically, the swimming
Swimming: A Barely Understood Community 2

community is like a big family, but one of which whom all are best friends with one another and

subsequently push each other to get better every day. This families central value is to be the best

they can possibly be each and every day and being interested in their own and teams success in

and out of the pool. Their obstacle, themselves. They and only they can determine how hard he

or she works on any given day and if they want to put forth maximum effort. So what, they’re

just a bunch of kids swimming back and forth endlessly. No my friend, it is way bigger than that.

Overall the swimming community is very close knit. Everyone seems to be very close to

one another but at the same time they push you to get better each and everyday. What I am trying

to say is that a swim team is like your second family; filled with other swimmers from your

team, other teams, coaches and the support of your own family. The swimming community, I

have learned through my research, is actually riveting. Now I am hooked and well beyond

intrigued by this lesser known community. Through all my research, interviews and brutal swim

practice, I have grown to love and also wish I was apart of this community much earlier. I hope I

have beseeched you to looking past only Michael Phelps into a community that means so much

more to those apart of it. A lifelong community.

Swimming: A Barely Understood Community 2

References

Brophy, Natalie. (1 May 2015). A Day in the Life of a Swimmer.

https://swimswam.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-swimmer/

Chen, Steve., Snyder, Shonna., Magner, Monica. (2010). The Effects of Sport
Participation on Student-Athletes’ and Non-AthleteStudents’ Social Life and Identity.
Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 2010, 3, 176-193.
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.468.4813&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Guo, Jeff. (21 September 2016). ​These charts clearly show how some Olympic
swimmers may have gotten an unfair advantage.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/09/01/these-charts-clearly-show-h
ow-some-olympic-swimmers-may-have-gotten-an-unfair-advantage/?noredirect=on&utm
_term=.eda17ef397a7

Han, Woohee. (10 January 2015). A Swimmer’s Dilemma: Finding the Balance In
Swimming, Academics and Social Life.
https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/swimmers-balance-swimming-academi
cs-social-life/

Hibberd, Elizabeth E., Myers, Joseph B. (November 2013). Practice Habits and Attitudes
and Behaviors Concerning Shoulder Pain in High School Competitive Club Swimmers.
Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 23, 450-455.
https://journals.lww.com/cjsportsmed/fulltext/2013/11000/Practice_Habits_and_Attitudes
_and_Behaviors.7.aspx

Inigo Mujika., Jean-Claude Chatard., Thierry Busso., André Geyssant., Frédéric Barale.,
Lucien Lacoste. (1995). Effects of Training on Performance in Competitive Swimming.
Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 20, 395-406.
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/h95-031#.W-UC7S2ZPq0

Kent, Zach. (7 February 2015). ​5 TIPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMERS TO GET
RECRUITED. ​https://swimswam.com/5-tips-for-high-school-swimmers-to-get-recruited/

Thom, Kara Douglass. (May 2005). So, You Want To Be A Swimmer.

https://experiencelife.com/article/so-you-want-to-be-a-swimmer/