Thinking back on your swimming history what were some of the milestones that you aimed for along the way? As examples, last year I set out to swim the 100 fly and this year the 200 fly. At the time just completing those events was a significant challenge. Now I'm working on getting under 30s for the 50m free, which for some reason seems to have more significance than going under 32, or under 31. Probably any round number seems significant, like under 1:00 for the 100m. What other goals or milestones do people see as having special significance? I'm interested in milestones at all levels. I'm hoping to construct a list that will give people goals to work towards beyond just improving their current times, probably with an emphasis on goals for beginners. Thanks!
Parents
Former Member
I think my most significant milestone was making the cuts for the high school team in my freshman year. Until that point I had never been in any age-group program or other sort of team. The only real "training" I had in swimming was from hanging around other kids who were on age-group teams as I was growing up.
Other than swimming I am (and have always been) about as athletic as a twig. And I was as skinny as a twig!
But for some reason I found the guts to try out for swimming. We had about 2 weeks of practices before tryouts. To make the team we were supposed to swim a 50 (SCY) free in under 33 seconds. I came in at 33.9, but there was still one available slot on the team and my time was the best of the guys who did not make the cut time. The coach let me join. Had I not made the cut, I probably would never have kept an interest in swimming on my own. I will always have a special place in my heart and an eternal gratitude for Coach Bardo for his decision to let me join.
My next milestone was my first (and only) race in a meet my freshman year. It was a 4x100 free relay at the end of a meet that we already had a guaranteed win. I swam second. It was 5 lengths in a 20-yard pool, and by the third length I thought I was going to die. Had it been an individual event, I probably would have quit at that point. But I had 3 other guys on the relay depending on me. I finished. I did a horrible time (1:29 if I recall) but I finished. I took a lot of ribbing for it, but I didn't care. I finished! Had I quit in the middle of the race, I probably would have quit the team out of embarrassment, and I probably would have never kept up with swimming after that.
My next milestone was to earn a point for the team. At least one. (The way the did the scoring back then, a 3rd place finish in an individual event earned a point.) I earned that point (and a few more) in my Sophomore season. I didn't earn enough points to earn a varsity letter, but I earned some points! I earned a varsity letter in my Junior year, and also broke a minute in 100 free that year, and I never looked back.
I think my most significant milestone was making the cuts for the high school team in my freshman year. Until that point I had never been in any age-group program or other sort of team. The only real "training" I had in swimming was from hanging around other kids who were on age-group teams as I was growing up.
Other than swimming I am (and have always been) about as athletic as a twig. And I was as skinny as a twig!
But for some reason I found the guts to try out for swimming. We had about 2 weeks of practices before tryouts. To make the team we were supposed to swim a 50 (SCY) free in under 33 seconds. I came in at 33.9, but there was still one available slot on the team and my time was the best of the guys who did not make the cut time. The coach let me join. Had I not made the cut, I probably would never have kept an interest in swimming on my own. I will always have a special place in my heart and an eternal gratitude for Coach Bardo for his decision to let me join.
My next milestone was my first (and only) race in a meet my freshman year. It was a 4x100 free relay at the end of a meet that we already had a guaranteed win. I swam second. It was 5 lengths in a 20-yard pool, and by the third length I thought I was going to die. Had it been an individual event, I probably would have quit at that point. But I had 3 other guys on the relay depending on me. I finished. I did a horrible time (1:29 if I recall) but I finished. I took a lot of ribbing for it, but I didn't care. I finished! Had I quit in the middle of the race, I probably would have quit the team out of embarrassment, and I probably would have never kept up with swimming after that.
My next milestone was to earn a point for the team. At least one. (The way the did the scoring back then, a 3rd place finish in an individual event earned a point.) I earned that point (and a few more) in my Sophomore season. I didn't earn enough points to earn a varsity letter, but I earned some points! I earned a varsity letter in my Junior year, and also broke a minute in 100 free that year, and I never looked back.
