My granddaughter has several colleges interested in her. She is very excited, however, there is a naysayer in the family. Every time my granddaughter brings up the subject in his presence he makes comments like, "Swimming isn't your life," or "It is a waste of time because it won't get you a job." If she says, "What if I want to be a swim coach?" He says, "Sounds like a hobby, not a job."
My question, what doors did swimming for a college/university open for you after graduation?
I swam for a D1 team my freshman and sophomore years before stopping (a decision I regret). College is likely your last opportunity to be young and learn in a relaxed, relatively care-free, environment with others that are about your same age. Unless you turn pro, swimming on a team at this point is also a last opportunity to enjoy the sport and camaraderie in that college environment and to learn from the hard work and dedication it requires as a team.
Where you went to school and your GPA isn't going to matter as much about a year after you graduate, and maybe not matter at all within a very few years. But your work ethic will, qualities like teamwork and dedication that are hard to develop in a classroom will matter for all of one's remaining years. Therein lies the long term benefit of swimming on a college team.
I swam for a D1 team my freshman and sophomore years before stopping (a decision I regret). College is likely your last opportunity to be young and learn in a relaxed, relatively care-free, environment with others that are about your same age. Unless you turn pro, swimming on a team at this point is also a last opportunity to enjoy the sport and camaraderie in that college environment and to learn from the hard work and dedication it requires as a team.
Where you went to school and your GPA isn't going to matter as much about a year after you graduate, and maybe not matter at all within a very few years. But your work ethic will, qualities like teamwork and dedication that are hard to develop in a classroom will matter for all of one's remaining years. Therein lies the long term benefit of swimming on a college team.
