Rice Memories: Erin Flanigan
5/28/2020 12:13:00 PM | Swimming & Diving, Blog
"After I graduated from Rice in 2015, I went straight to Physical Therapy School at Texas Woman's University (located in the medical center)," Flanigan said. "This is a three-year long doctoral program. (Two more Rice swimmers have been accepted after I went! Exciting!)
As a Physical Therapist we are deemed as 'essential' in this current world situation. I work for a large hospital in Portland, Oregon as an outpatient orthopedic PT. I see a wide variety of patients ranging from age 8-95+. Currently, I am only seeing post-operative patients to limit exposure since I am in direct patient care. Since this does not take up all of my normal work week, I am 're-deployed' in the hospital as a screener to take temperatures of staff, patients and visitors coming to the hospital. I am very blessed to have a job and thankful to help out my hospital in any way I can during this time.
I think the most memorable team accomplishment was winning Conference USA twice in three years, my freshman year (Spring of 2012) and as a junior (2014). I am thoroughly impressed with how well Rice Swimming does at Conference every year despite not having a diving team – impressive coaching and recruiting from Seth Huston and assistant coaches.
One of my favorite Rice memories was representing Rice at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials with my teammate Casey Clark. I had gone to the 2008 Olympic Trials representing my club swim team but the 2012 were special because I had the opportunity to represent Rice.
I loved going on our team training trips during the winter, like going to Coronado, California, and going to the San Diego Zoo! Training trips were always a great time to get hard work in with team bonding during the holiday season. Our team was really great at supporting each other. We did Secret Santa around Christmas time and presents for each other before all of our dual meets to pump each other up. As seniors we gave each member of the team 'paper plate awards' at the end of the season. I loved getting to exaggerate girls' funny quirks on the team in a way that gave them praise and recognition. We also did a lot of community service work, volunteering at the Houston Food Bank and with Special Olympics. Coming together for the city of Houston representing Rice was an honor.
In 2013 I had come down with an upper respiratory infection three weeks before the Conference USA meet, but did not want to stop training," Flanigan explained. "I eventually coughed so much that I dislocated my lower rib. I had an athletic trainer relocate my rib and decided to keep training...not the wisest thing I have done. From continuing to train, I ended up breaking it.
The meet was now a couple days away, so I decided to keep pushing and try to compete. After I swam the first day of the meet I was in excruciating pain and Seth gave me the second day of the meet off. I had an injection for pain the second day of the meet, but ended up having an allergic reaction to the medication. I then had to get two IVs for dehydration because I was throwing up profusely. My wonderful mom stayed in my College room and helped me through the night. The next morning I woke up and called Seth and said I was going to swim that 1,650. I returned to the meet and won the 1,650-yard freestyle with my teammates cheering me on!
You will do unimaginable things for your team...especially to win!
I am so incredibly thankful to have been a Rice student-athlete! I loved everything that Rice had to offer, from academics to athletics. Honestly, being a Rice student athlete was pivotal to my career choice (PT) and the person I chose to marry (Trey Johnson -- Rice golfer '16). I was prepared academically for a rigorous three-year doctoral program thanks to the excellent foundation I had at Rice. I had discipline instilled from swimming 8-9 times per week and waking up at 5:30 am four times a week. I also had grit from balancing athletics, academics and a social life at Rice that allowed me to be more than prepared for getting through graduate school and landing my dream job. I am able to contribute and thrive at work with my team since I have leadership skills that I learned from Rice Swimming."