10 Do’s and Don’ts of your first College Championship

Swimming listicle is courtesy of Dan Ross, SwimSwam Intern, #SwimTern. Follow: @danSHAZAMross

This one goes out to all of our incoming freshman. Congratulations on committing to the school of your dreams! Now here are some tips for your first college championship meet.

ONE

First off, stay cool. Don’t psych yourself out. Yes, you made it to your championship meet at a college level and that is a feat worthy of celebration in itself, but now you still have to swim at that meet!

TWO

Next, get ready to swim fast. Get excited! You made it to this championship so show everyone who you are!

THREE

Don’t sweat the small stuff: If you suddenly get hit with some inconveniences, don’t freak out. Roll with the punches. You’ve done the prep work for this. No small setback can stop that.

FOUR

Take it one day at a time: Don’t get too caught up in one day. Whether or not you had a terrible day, or a fantastic one, each day is different. Make sure you are ready to take on the next day with a healthy body and mind.

FIVE

A cruddy swim doesn’t mean a cruddy meet: Plenty of swimmers have come back from less than stellar swims on the first day of a meet. Keep it together and get ready for the next meet.

SIX

Relays are just as important as individual events: Sure you love it when the spotlight is on you. Sure it feels great when people notice your personal achievements, but relays are critical in college swimming. They are worth HUGE points for the team, and having a great relay means a whole lot to more people. Be a team player, swim fast for relays.

SEVEN

Don’t let it go to your head: Success at the college level is great, but don’t forget there are still others out there who could be a lot faster than you. Be Humble.

EIGHT

Don’t become complacent: Great you’re here and you did well, now get ready to kill the post season training. You didn’t get to this meet by slacking off and not working hard. Keep working hard and sweating the details to make sure you do just as well if not better the next time around.

NINE

Don’t look for Excuses: We all know the classics, My taper sucked, I wasn’t feeling well, I was too tight/sore, I slipped off my wall/start, etc. Own up. Take charge. See what you did wrong, and where you can improve. You start training for next year as soon as your race is over.

TEN

Have fun: Amidst all this crazy competitive swimming remember why you do this sport, because it’s fun. We sometimes forget to just have fun at swim meets and then it becomes a chore to swim. Keep it upbeat and fun filled. Cheer for your team, have a blast, and swim fast.