My Final College Swim, A Letter To Future College Swimmers

Courtesy of Noah Yanchulis

“Future and Current College Athletes,

I just finished my final year of college swimming. Four years up, four years down, just like that. I grew up in Annapolis, Maryland and trained at the Naval Academy during high school, so to have my last college meet be at home was special. I put anything and everything I could find into this video to show my emotions about my sport and my team.

College swimming for me has been the most impactful thing in my life to this point. The bonds I have formed, the memories I have made, and the love for the sport of swimming that I have developed would not have happened without college swimming. What college swimming offers is unlike anything else because you are competing in an individual sport, but as part of a team. I love to compete, but what makes it more gratifying is the fact that I get to represent my team, my coaches, and my university.

It is a sad thing being detached from something you love. Before I came to college, before I knew that swimming for a Division I school would even be possible, I liked swimming, but I didn’t love it. Now I love it. The sad part about the end of college swimming for me is not that swimming is over, because it doesn’t have to be if I don’t want it to be. I can go to a pool tomorrow and swim, I can sign up for a meet a month from now and go compete, but what I can’t do, is do it with my team. My team that has made me who I am today. My team that has shown me the values of trust, compassion, and sacrifice. My team that has made me want to work hard for something other than myself.

There is not much else I can say other than, I hope people cherish their time as part of team as much as I did because it will be over as quick as it started. It is difficult to know how great something is until it is gone, but once it leaves, it hits you hard. Enjoy every moment, embrace every challenge and put forth ALL your time and effort in the things you care about most, because that’s all you can do. You only get four years and it goes by fast, so don’t let yourself look back at the end and wish you would’ve done more.

Thank You,
Noah Yanchulis