...to swim or not to swim?
As some of ya'll might remember, I wrote a small blog on my daily swimming activities as a college swimmer this past season. If not for my back injury, I'm sure it would have been much more exciting...but oh well.
Well the season ended a few months ago, and I've been largely a land lubber since. Now that I'm settled for the summer though, I'm getting back into the pool on a regular basis.
The question is... do I swim as a member of the varsity team next year?
I just can't really decide.
My coach quit at the end of the season to move with her husband to Rhode Island (where he became the new head soccer coach at the university of rhode island). The new coach of both the men's and women's program is the former assistant coach of the men's team, Jason.
He's a pretty nice guy, but since the men's and women's teams were seperate last year, I don't really know much about his coaching methods.
I've got it down to the pros and cons of swimming next year, but I still can't decide what would be best...
Pros: Great exercise - forces me to go swim even when I'm tired
Seeing my teammates again
A chance to actually compete
The ability to say I'm still a college swimmer...
Cons: Last year's practice schedule was brutal. If this year is the same...if it's the same this year it means:
Crunch on academics
No social life for 5-6 months
Constantly exhausted
..possible reinjury of my back (although unlikely)
I just don't know. I'm concerned about my academics. I really screwed up my spring quarter, for unrelated personal reasons, and as a result my GPA is in the toilet. Since I'm entering my junior year, pulling up my academics is of huge concern to me. Also, I'm going abroad in the spring...so if I had no time to spend with my real friends during the season I wouldn't see them at all during the year....
....But I don't want to be a quitter. I know I wouldn't abandon the sport...but....agh...
What do I do?
I'm a lawyer. I had an important trial yesterday. Thursday is a master's workout day. We swim from 6 -- 7:30 am. I almost bailed on the workout for some extra trial prep time, but went instead and got out 15 minutes early to make sure I got the office and court on time. Maybe it's the endorphin buzz, or just the early morning activity, but I am calmer, and I think consequently sharper, after a workout. The trial went just fine, and the 75 minutes of extra prep would not have made a difference one way or the other.
You should be able to balance swimming and academics (even Harvard has a swim team, and a good one at that), and I believe the swimming will actually help your study habits.
I'm a lawyer. I had an important trial yesterday. Thursday is a master's workout day. We swim from 6 -- 7:30 am. I almost bailed on the workout for some extra trial prep time, but went instead and got out 15 minutes early to make sure I got the office and court on time. Maybe it's the endorphin buzz, or just the early morning activity, but I am calmer, and I think consequently sharper, after a workout. The trial went just fine, and the 75 minutes of extra prep would not have made a difference one way or the other.
You should be able to balance swimming and academics (even Harvard has a swim team, and a good one at that), and I believe the swimming will actually help your study habits.
