As my collegiate swimming career comes to a close, I wanted to reflect back on the past four years swimming for Skidmore and taking part in Division III (D3) athletics. I started competitively swimming when I was 5 years old and have been swimming ever since. I was planning on playing a different sport in college, and never imagined myself continuing to swim past high school. But, after realizing that I did not want to be a Division I athlete, I started to refine my college search to schools that were good academically, and would also allow me the chance to participate in sports if I wanted. Now, as I finish up my time on the Skidmore Swimming and Diving team, I cannot imagine myself anywhere else and am happy with my decision to go D3.
Adjusting to my first year of college, like any other freshman, was hard. But it helped that I was on a team and already had a support system in place. The captains always made sure the team was working hard in the classroom and in the pool, and also wanted us to have fun. If I needed help with anything, either things related or not related to swim, I could ask anyone on the team or my coaches. When I needed a room change freshman year, my coach was able to help me with that process, and it really set the tone for how she would continue to help me during the next four years. I think one of the biggest rewards for being on a D3 team is that you are valued as a person and what you can personally contribute, and not just how many points you can score for the team. As time moves on, I probably won’t remember who was the best on the team and what their times in races were, but rather their personalities and how they treated people regardless of speed.
Looking back at the last four years, an advantage of swimming at a D3 school was the ability to fully embrace the student-athlete experience. Because D3 schools do not give out athletic scholarships, athletes who decided to go to a D3 school played because they wanted to, rather than being paid to do so. And although there is nothing wrong with getting a scholarship to play sports in college, it was more important for me that I could do a sport in college based on my own agency and not bound by a contract.
However, just because Skidmore isn’t a Division I school, does not mean that athletes do not understand the rigor and intensity of playing a collegiate sport. Swimming was a huge part of my year as the swim season started in September and ended in the last week of February (in a typical pre-covid year). Practices were six days a week and we would have competitions on the weekends. Alongside practices, we were required to go to weights twice a week to continue to get strong, and thus faster in the pool. The swim team also had study sessions on Sunday and Tuesday, where we were encouraged to do homework and study as a team, so that we can all represent our team academically too.
If this season during the pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that swimming is an outlet for me and others on the team, and a chance to escape the tumultuousness of everything happening at Skidmore and beyond. The season started in August and was cut short last week (4/6) due to the Alert Level 3 status, and even though I'm disappointed I won’t be able to have a proper end of my season, I am happy I was still able to swim this year. Because swimming was found to be a low risk sport, it was a nice way to see my teammates and work hard in the pool, and we were able to race and show off our hard work when we competed virtually with other teams. And although it wasn’t a typical season, I was happy to have some normalcy and be able to compete for Skidmore for one last time.
Something that I've always appreciated about swimming was how everyone got a chance to swim at every meet. Everyone had the opportunity to compete and score points for the team, and everyone on the team got to show off their specialties and hard work. I swam breaststroke and freestyle, and every race was a chance to get better and compete for my team. I’ve seen that D3 swim teams truly value the individual's talent and how they can contribute to the overall success of the team. There are so many great moments swimming in the Liberty League that have shown me that just because you might not win a race or the meet, doesn’t mean that you didn’t have the opportunity to swim fast and try your best. I’ve also seen people swim incredible races and everyone was there to support them.
My favorite moment of swimming was during the Liberty League Championships my sophomore year (2019). There was a male swimmer from Bard College who was trying to make the “A” cut for NCAAs. He was the only one swimming in the pool, and the whole crowd, regardless of what team they were on, was cheering just for him. The energy was so vibrant and amazing, and it was a perfect representation of what D3 was all about. It’s about cheering people on no matter what and helping them reach their goals. When he touched the touchpad to finish, the crowd got even louder, which I didn’t think was possible, and we all celebrated because he made the cut. He was going to Division III NCAAs, representing the Liberty League. His accomplishment was all of ours, and we celebrated together. It was truly a special moment and it further showed that D3 culture celebrates and supports every swimmer.
Being a part of Skidmore Athletics has also given me the opportunity to appreciate other sports teams and have pride in my school. My team goes and watches the other sports teams at the school and we normally see other athletic teams filling the stands. Every winter break when winter sports teams were on campus training, it was always nice to go support the Basketball and Hockey teams, and see my fellow peers work hard and compete. And even though I might not totally understand every sport, it was great to cheer for my school. I think there is something special about being a D3 athlete that forms a community with all the sports teams as we all understand what it is like to practice hard and compete for our school.
As I look back at my time swimming, I am thankful for having the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level. And even though some moments were hard, especially during the pandemic, I couldn’t be any happier to be a part of the Skidmore Swimming and Diving team. From going to Puerto Rico (and even Florida) during winter training or just sitting on the bus for four hours watching movies when heading to Liberty League championships, I enjoyed every moment of it and wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world. I learned so much about myself as more than just an athlete, and I encourage anyone who wants to swim at a Division III school to do so.