Why is swimming different from other sports?

Most people outside the sport of swimming believe that the only goal of competitive swimming is to improve upon one’s time, or beat the other competitors in any given event. Those who practice day in and day out and compete in weekly meets know that swimming is more than times and races; it is also about support and respect for your teammates. Competitive swimming is one of the most unique sports. What other competitive sport has competitors ranging in age from 5-18 practicing and competing at the same meets? What other competitive sport has males and females practicing together and competing at the same meets? In how many other sports do participants compete as a whole for the team and as an individual? Competitive swimming challenges one’s character, strength, devotion, self-esteem, and camaraderie in a healthy environment.

On any day, during any practice, you can witness 5-year-olds swimming lap after lap while coaches teach them to swim each stroke. Meanwhile, in another lane you can watch as the swimmers ages 10-18 work on their stroke technique and endurance. During meets, girls swim against girls and boys swim against boys in their age group, but as you watch closely you will see that during swim practice girls and boys are not practicing separately. They swim together, encouraging each other, pushing each other to swim faster. Swimming is unique in that it teaches boys and girls, young women and men, to respect each other as everyone works hard during practice to swim lap after lap of drills, kicks and stroke refinement. The respect, support and teamwork they learn during practice carries over to swim meets as everyone cheers and encourages each other during races. Competitive swimming can build self-esteem in young girls and give them a sense of empowerment. Practicing alongside the opposite sex helps boys and girls develop healthy friendships and not form ideas of gender inequality. Being a member of the swim team helps swimmers understand and witness the physical and mental capabilities of each sex.