The 4 swimmers you will meet in high school

Courtesy of Samuel Angelo, SwimSwam Intern. Follow @SwimmsamWC

Swimmers are not typical people. We are loud and weird and spend more time with one another more than with anyone else. During the long hours and hard sets we truly get to know and understand each other and although no swimmer is a typical person there are certainly typical swimmers.

These are the five swimmers that you will meet in high school.

1 – The Swim Addict

The Swim Addict is that person on your swim team that just cannot get enough of the sport. You have found yourself on SwimSwam reading this, so you may very well be The Swim Addict. The addict is most often seen wearing a shirt from a championship meet, and if you have a class with him or her chances are you will be talking about swimming often. They know all of the best times in the state and work their butt off at practice to try and get one of them.

2 – The Natural

The Natural is a member of most swim teams. They do not have a great work ethic but still – somehow – put out impressive times regularly. This person may be characterized as the kid whose parents are still forcing him to swim. They are often overconfident as a result of many years of winning age group meets without really trying. The natural is always a talented swimmer but nobody can help but wonder how fast the natural could get if they really put in the effort.

3 – The New Kid

The New Kid is the only person in your lane that you did not know before high school which is when they started swimming. Although this kid has just recently joined the team they have a good work ethic and have grown into a promising athlete in the relatively short time that you have known them. The new kid has the passion for swimming that you remember having as a little kid, and it inspires you to work as hard as they do every day. The new kid always asks a lot of questions at meets and practices, but you don’t mind because their excitement about swimming is undeniably contagious.

4 – The Champ

The Champ is the golden boy or girl of swimming. He or she is not only the person you count on to anchor a relay but also a person who works hard at practice. The champ is a combination of the natural and the addict not only having speed but always wanting more of it. This person often has parents who swam and has been one of the best swimmers in the state since they were eight. The champ leads most of the hardest sets and somehow manages to stay motivated through the entire season. Your coach holds him or her on a pedestal but nobody can deny that he deserves to be there.

The swim season is a long and tiring ordeal for everyone involved from coaches to swimmers to swim parents. You will get frustrated with your team mates and there will be days when you do not want to drag yourself out of bed at the crack of dawn to go see them. Remember though that they are YOUR TEAMMATES and you should show them support through everything that happens. The best way to survive a swim season is together so although The Swim Addict may begin to seem annoying, The Natural frustrating, The New Kid naïve, and The Champ arrogant just remember that you are all in it together.