Were you a College Swimmer?

I did not go to HS or College in the US, but I would have loved to participate in at least HS level competition.The system for scholastic sports that we have here is pretty much unique in the world.

The only thing is that good about college swimming was when you lived on campus and were crawling distance from the pool. But, I was so miserable swimming that I couldn't enjoy that aspect of college swimming. Then again, it would be a nightmare to live off campus without a car and still be swimming. Ugh! I only did one year of college swimming and I was still in the Top 10 All time 200 butterfly at American U. until 2004. Gosh, I didn't even realize that until I stumbled across online in 2004.

I think part of what contributed to my unhappiness with college swimming was also the coaching situation. Not that we had bad coaches, but my class was recruited by a coach who promptly left at the conclusion of the season (that season being the one BEFORE i started college). we got a new coach, but i don't think my class felt we belonged as much. that coach then left after my junior year, which brought in a third coach. it just made things really chaotic.

Swam and played water polo in HS and then just water polo in college.

I was thrown in as a baby, taught to swim and grew up mucking around at the beach. I played tennis from about 12-18yrs of age. Ironically, didn't take up swimming as exercise until I was 33 and living in Chicago. It took me about a year to summon up the courage to join the Masters team because I thought it meant you had to have "mastered" swimming. I spent weeks secretly teaching myself bilateral breathing and flip turns because I thought I'd be laughed off the pool deck :drown:

swam in college for four years, represented the Philippines at 2 Olympics. I'm back in the water after 11 years. I wasn't planning on swimming any masters meet, but here I am...

I was 4 years at a Div I school,but that is misleading as it was Rice(then the smallest D-I school) with no scholarships in the late 60s and we weren't very good. Yea, but your "marching" band is/was awesome! ;)

My parents tried to force me onto a swim team when I was 8, and after the first practice when the coach tried to get me to swim the length of the pool (LCM, I think), I freaked, and never went back. Or, rather, went back the rest of the week, but just hung out near the pool til the practice was over. I finally told them how freaking scary it was and they relented. I did manage to swim, mostly by myself. I was an okay swimmer. Boy Scouts and ARC Lifeguard kept me swimming. That "mile swim" patch every year at summer camp was a big deal to my young self. I next got serious when I tried triathlons in the early 80's. I had a pool two doors from my house, and I knew the managers, so they let me swim in the pool before it opened (by myself...can you imagine that happening today?). My two triathlons (1984 & 1985) were bombs, mostly because of my running. But that is it for competing til 2003, when I was 36. The base I was stationed on started a masters club and I joined. And learned to really swim. My times have improved over the years. In fact, in 1997 (still no masters team in my life), I swam the Navy physical fitness test. The swim was 500 yards, which I did in 9:33. Thirteen years later, in fact just a week ago, I swam the same distance (for the Phoenix 500) in 7:16. Not bad for 43 years old! I am so glad I found USMS. I just wish there were more masters teams where I get stationed! (Yes, I've tried to start some...no luck...yet.)

Swam 4 years, Div II program...Loved it! Also played Water Polo for 3 years too.. All around a great time, made some of my best friends thru swimming and polo. Worst part was def trucking through a couple feet of snow at 5am for practice. The school wouldn't plow the campus till about 6am.

Swam in the 70's- age-group and high school. By the time I was 18, I was really burned out with the insane mega-yardage training so swimming in college was the last thing I wanted to do. I rediscovered swimming after joining a local masters team. I've been working out regularly for about a year now- down 20 lbs. and feel a whole lot better.