Rice Memories: Kaitlyn Swinney
6/30/2020 2:00:00 PM | Swimming & Diving, Blog
"Oh gosh, it is SO hard to pick just a few memories," Swinney said. "My time at Rice and part of Rice Athletics was incredibly special to me/ I made friends that will last a lifetime (5 of 8 are bridesmaids in my wedding!). I'll pick one from each year.
• My freshman year going to Coronado for the training trip in December/January was amazing. I really go to get to know everyone so much better with the team bonding we did, the sets that pushed me to the brink of tears, and getting to go to the beach between practices. Going to the beach so much definitely wasn't my best idea and didn't help me train at a peak level, but looking back it was a great learning experience and the first time I really felt like I belonged to something big.
• My sophomore year my favorite memory had to be going to Austin for the "post-season meet" after Conference in March. My class and the class under me (the class of 2019) really bonded after a pretty turbulent season and actually had pretty good swims!
• My junior year came with a lot of personal and health issues for me, so I had a really rough start to my season and wasn't performing the way I wanted to. But, the highlight of my junior year was how much my friends (Jaecey, Hanna, Alicia, and Julie especially) supported me and really held me up through that difficult experience. They never made me feel bad about what I was going through and always listened to my venting. I can't begin to thank them enough for that, and it means so much more than they'll ever know.
• My senior year was hands-down my favorite year at Rice. I really tried to just have a great time and remember every experience I had. A favorite memory for me was going to the U.S. Naval Academy for the National Invitational after conference. There were no expectations for any of us, and we all swam really well but didn't feel the pressure that comes along with Conference. I got to finish my swimming career with a 100 IM, which was really funny (especially considering how I usually swam longer races).
I do want to say, the parts that I disliked the most at the time - like the cold ice baths at 10:30 pm after the Phill Hansel meet, the 6 a.m. workouts, the three hour Saturday morning workouts and the 'optional' workouts , are the parts of the sport and the team that I miss the most. It made me into the person I am today and I am so grateful for every part of it.
Getting an Olympic Trials cut and competing in that meet in 2016 was definitely my biggest accomplishment while I was at Rice. It was something I had been striving for at five years at that point, and it came about pretty unexpectedly (in my mind, at least). Then, a month or two later, my teammate Kiley Beall got a cut as well. Going to Omaha with her and rooming with her made us so much closer, and it was an experience that I'll cherish forever. Also, Marie-Claire was at the meet as well and Kiley and I got to spend some quality time with her.
I believe the athletics at Rice are just as challenging as a large DI program because that is who we compete against all the time. The Rice difference is the academics are also in the top of the nation. I had to learn how to give 100%, and I had to learn to accept the things I cannot control. It has taught me that there is truly nothing I can't do, because I've already done one of the most difficult things a person can put themselves through physically and mentally.
It's impossible to go through a collegiate sport without facing adversity. I had many ups and downs in my four years at Rice. However, it's important to know that you will get through it and you will become a better person when you come out the other side. I want to mention that I now know you should always talk to people that you trust and who can help you, whether that be a coach, a teammate, or a professional. We can't face all of our problems alone, and those around us will help us get through the worst of times.
I am beyond excited that I will have a chance to help athletes, and hope to make real change in the mental health discussion for athletes."