For College, Go Ateneo! (Part I)

Every time I hear about top high school recruits fussing over which college to play for (it is a sad reality that the question is always "Which college will Athlete A play for?" instead of "Which college will Athlete A study in?") I am always reminded of Spike Lee's "He Got Game". If you watched the film, try to remember the scene where Jesus Shuttlesworth (played by a surprisingly commendable Ray Allen) is told that the decision of which college to play for is the "most important decision of his life" or something like that. I never really experienced such a thing but I can understand where the recruiters are coming from. At least, I think I do. 

I would like to believe that despite their obvious intentions of having an extremely talented basketball player join their ranks, there exists this genuine compassion for Shuttlesworth's growth outside the basketball court. I would like to think that they are selling the education Shuttlesworth will have access to in as much as the possible contributions he can give to their basketball program. Of course, you can always watch the movie to see if you feel the same way. My point is that recruiters have to--and need to--emphasize the type of education and school culture their recruits will have access to and experience if he or she pledges to attend their alma mater. 

Whether he likes it or not, college will most likely be the last four or five years a swimmer has before hanging up his trunks. Being a professional swimmer in the Philippines is not a realistic career option for obvious reasons, the most compelling being the lack of support from governing bodies and swimming's lack of following in the country. That said, collegiate swimmers cannot simply float around in college since the lucrative life of a professional athlete is not waiting in the wings. 

In light of this reality check, here are a few reasons why high school seniors--both top recruits and average swimmers alike--should study in the Ateneo Loyola Schools.

The Vitruvian Man

1. Culture Curriculum.

A few weeks ago, my family and I watched Rivalry: The Musical. The running gag of the entire play was that Ateneans always use flowery and highfaluting words whereas La Sallians give it straight to the point. "What's the point of quoting Shakespeare when you can give it straight?" quips the La Sallian protagonist. As funny as that joke is, the question is valid. 

There is no denying that in the Ateneo, you will have more units of core subjects--which are mostly liberal arts--than major subjects. It is enough to drive one insane, truth be told.

Why do we have to take the basic subjects of English, Literature, Filipino and Natural Sciences in our freshman year when our friends in other schools are immediately taking their majors? Why do we take Sociology and Anthropology? Why do we have to study psychological disorders like Paranoia, Schizophrenia and Anti-Social behavior in Psychology 101? Why do we have to suffer through the endless readings and papers of our 9 units of History? What use will my 12 units of Philosophy and 12 units of Theology be if my career goal is to build my own company and be a millionaire by 30? And what the hell do these core subjects have to do with my swimming? And why, oh, why must I suffer through the dreaded Theology 131 orals with Fr. Dacanay? I must be crazy!

The answer is simple, young sirs and madams. To quote my high school Art Appreciation teacher, "We study the arts to have culture." Culture, young ones. That is what the Ateneo Loyola Schools is uniquely offering--the opportunity and venue to have a well-balanced character hinged upon the appreciation of the liberal arts which will compliment your mastery of the specialized disciplines your majors entail.

An Ateneo education will train you to see beauty in its purest form, in every form. 

If you put in the work and just put to heart all the poems, readings and verses, you will surprisingly find a lot of connections with what you are doing in your majors. 

Being a business major I was really interested on how Sun Tzu's Art of War, however controversial, was very much applicable in business. When Shakespeare was asking himself if he should "...compare thee to a summer's day?" I never realized that the wonder this sonnet was emoting can also mean the awe that washes over you when you successful pitch a campaign to a very jaded panel in a marketing defense. When Descartes said that, "I think therefore, I am" I took it as a reminder to carefully consider things first before making a crucial business decision in our thesis project instead of solely going by my gut with guns blazing. 

My point is this. An Ateneo education will give you a chance to grow as a person thanks to the holistic approach the curriculum is founded on. That is the value-added; that is what makes an Ateneo education unique. 

While the running joke in Rivalry holds true--that an Atenean will quote Shakespeare and a La Sallian will give it to you straight--my rebut is this.

Anyone can be blunt; it's very easy to do. But to precisely interpret and quote the likes Shakespeare, Marlowe, Henley and Whitman?

It takes culture to pull that off.  

Excellence is Magis; doing ordinary things extraordinarily

2. Excellence is a must.
Inasmuch as it is their ideal, excellence is not exclusively Jesuit. I am sure that this trait is espoused in every college in the world, not just in the country. But in the Ateneo, excellence is demanded not just in academics, but in every facet of one's life.

But what is excellence to begin with? How can one give a sound definition of a word which seems easy to understand but very difficult to explain. For the purposes of this post, I'll define excellence by introducing the Jesuit ideal.

Excellence is Magis; it entails one to do more than what is necessary by doing ordinary things in extraordinary ways. It means going over and beyond the normal. Simply put, excellence means doing more. 


Like in most schools, it is easy to just go with the motions in the Loyola Schools. With more than 3000 students roaming the campus, the temptation to keep one's head down and simple get by can be overwhelming at times. However, as much as you will want to sail along, you will find that you just can't. When everyone around you is working tooth-and-nail to maximize their potential--whether it be academic, athletic or extracurricular--that drive for excellence will eventually rub off you.

You will see your classmates toiling without promise of reward and you will ask yourself how they can do that. You will then challenge yourself to live up to the inspiration your classmates have given you to be excellent in everything that you do.

In the Ateneo, excellence is a must. No, wait, let me rephrase that.

In the Ateneo, striving to achieve excellence--not necessarily being excellent in everything and anything--is must. After all, the path you tread and steps you take to achieve excellence is what the Ateneo is keen on inasmuch as it values on the honors you bring.  




...to be continued


Take your Mark!

    

Merman on Dry Land: My Ateneo Aquathlon Experience

Ateneo Aquathlon Poster ft.  Kim Uy and David Santos

I have always been fascinated by multi-sport events. Whether it is an Aquathlon, Duathlon or Triathlon, I cannot help be amazed with how these events really test the limits of both the body and the mind. For this reason among others, I hold endurance and multi-sport athletes at a very high esteem; their willingness and relentless attitude to finish these grueling races as fast as they possibly can is a testament of the indomitable spirit of man. 

Setting the Stage

Last Sunday, March 4, I participated in the Ateneo Aquathlon organized by my former team the Fast Ateneo Blue Tankers or FAST (yeah, I know what you're thinking but that is what the team is called). After helping plan and organize this event ever since I was in high school, I decided to join the race to support my former teammates as well as to see if I can still hack it. But of course, I had a big problem to worry about.

The swimming was not the problem. I am a swimmer after all; regardless of the Classic's 600 meters or the Lite's 400 meters, I was confident that I would end the swim as one of the top finishers. Besides, the Loyola School's swimming pool is my home court, so to speak.

My problem was the running. 

As cavalier as I am with sports, I was under no delusion that the 5 kilometer run of the Aquathlon Classic was a manageable distance. Running, after all, has never been my strongest suit even when I was still a competitive swimmer. Taking that into consideration, I signed up for the Aquathlon Lite, the shortened version of the Classic which is specifically designed for beginners and newbies. Though the Lite's 3 kilometer run is still quite long for my standards, I figured that it was a lot easier to complete than the Classic's 5 kilometer course. Or so I thought. 

My former teammates found it amusing borderline hilarious that I did not join them in the Classic. But I knew my limits. Inasmuch as the Classic appealed to the athletic-snob in me, it was ludicrous on my end to even attempt to run 5 kilometers. After all, I am a good 25 lbs. overweight. 3 kilometers it is then.  

Merman at Home

When I arrived at the Loyola Schools Covered Courts, I was overwhelmed with the density of the participants hanging out in the receiving area. As I approached the registration booth, I noticed that both spectators and racers were congregated around a contraption in the middle of the Courts 5 and 6. To my surprise and amusement, the people were gathered around the mechanical bull ride which is quite popular these days. I have to give it up to FAST for bringing in that attraction; watching people try to conquer that bull resulted to hilariously entertaining moments which made my waiting time really bearable. 

After registering and getting bodymarked, I spotted some of my former teammates who just finished their Aquathlon Classic. I spent a few minutes chatting and catching up with them before excusing myself to get changed and warmed up. After about an hour or so, Aquathlon Lite Boys was called. A few more minutes were spent for the briefing and heat segregation before we were queued along the starting area.

Coming into the race, my strategy for the swim was to get as much separation from the pack as possible. I am a swimmer after all and I was sure that very few of the participants can outswim me--in my home pool no less. Besides, I needed the lead since I am one of the worst runners you can ever encounter.

Much to my dismay, however, I was put in the second heat with 14 other people or so. I situated myself at the front of the bunch when the first heat was started, confident that I can catch up with them with little trouble.

When we were started, I immediately kicked off the floor and began my swim as aggressively as possible. I caught the tail end of the first heat almost immediately and tried my best to overtake them without getting too physical. By my fifth round, there were very few people in front of me so I settled to a cruising pace, relying more on my arms than my legs. I finished the first 200 not yet winded so I decided to push my luck in the second round by quickening my pace a bit. Zigzagging my way through the pool traffic, I finished the second 200 meters with my arms throbbing like hell before I got out and grabbed my gear in the transition area. After struggling to put my singlet on, I immediately exited the pool all the while hoping that I had built enough cushion in the swim.

Merman on Dry Land
What's bittersweet about running around the Ateneo is the fact that the campus is on top of a hill. As much as I dreaded jogging around the campus during my varsity years, running up and down the hilly areas benefited my cardiovascular fitness immensely. But of course, the running part is easier said than done. 

That said, and considering that I have never been even a satisfactory runner, my plan for the run was to walk uphill and jog downhill. As for the flat stretches of road, which were very few I might add,  I would just have to wing it.

The 3 kilometer route entailed one to run down Masterson Drive all the way to Moro Lorenzo to retrieve a lap marker. From there, one needs to pass by Bellarmine Hall, the Ateneo School of Government, Xavier Hall, back down Masterson Drive before finishing at the covered courts. I was already thinking about the route as I exited the pool which turned out to be a big mistake.

Somewhere between swimming the 400 meters and struggling to put on my singlet, I forgot about the steep uphill once I had to traverse once ran pass the pool gates. Needless to say, I struggled mightily to conquer that hill; Not 200 meters from the pool gate, my calves were already cramping up and my gut hurt like crazy whenever I gasped for air. I walked from that point on. I needed to catch my breath and try to avoid the muscle cramps as much as I can. As I tried to walk briskly, I knew that my strategy just went out the window. There was no way I could jog the entire course given the way I was feeling.

It was not until I passed the Church of the Gesu that I felt good enough to jog. I did just that and got my first lap marker from the Marshals before making my way back. As I turned the corner leading to the ISO and ASoG, I knew that I could not finish the reminder of the route non-stop so I sort of reverted to my old plan of walking uphill and jogging downhill. It was still a struggle for me, especially when I got to the last uphill near the Batibot Tree (or the Tennis wall). By the time I reached the corner leading to the finish line, I mustered every ounce of strength I had left so that I could at least end the race running.

When I crossed the finish line, I felt a great sense of accomplishment wash over me. I was tired beyond measure but I accomplished what I had set out to do. While the thought did not relieve some of the fatigue, completing my first Aquathlon in over 3 years is something I can proudly look back on. Granted, what I competed in was not really the full event and I finished 30th out of 35 participants. But given that I do not run, am overweight and have not really competed in anything after the 2010 UAAP, I will take 30th place any day. Besides, I was one of the first finishers of the swim leg; if anything, that proves that I am still a capable swimmer.

Challenge Accepted
FAST marketed their Aquathlon this year as a challenge to be conquered. If anything, crossing the finish line, regardless of time, is enough for one to exclaim at the top of his lungs that he has conquered the FAST Aquathlon. I felt as much and it was truly a gratifying feeling. However, as I conquered  Aquathlon Lite, a new challenge came with it. Perhaps it was just the athletic-snob again but without thinking twice, I accepted it.

Next year, I will race in the Aquathlon Classic. More than anything, it is a matter of honor that I finally turn in a time which I will not even cringe just thinking about. By no means will it be easy; I still have to get comfortable and exponentially improve on my running. On top of that, there is the business of maintaining my aquatic fitness to near competitive form. Swimming is my strength after all; I would be an idiot if I do not leverage on that.

With that, "Challenge Accepted!" as the younger generation says these days.

To my former FAST teammates, congratulations on a successful event!  I am proud that you were able to hold a well-organized race! More power and good luck on your future endeavors!

A special shout out to the Aquathlon Organizing Committee of Santi Chua, May Tiu, Paui Pena, Max Austria, Karlo Lim, Islau Dapat, Benjo Ramos, Adel Barlisan and Makki Araneta. Great job, boys and girls!

Lest I forgot, I would like to commend the Marshals posted along the run route. Nothing is more uplifting than hearing you guys cheer us on while we run under the intense heat of the sun. That simple "Go!" or "Kaya pa yan!" gave us the much needed energy-boost to push on and forget the fatigue, even momentarily. Thank you so much boys and girls!

Take your mark!

A Taste of Things to Come

Woah! It has been a long time since I last posted something in SoUSS. Sorry about that, folks. Between work, graduate school and swimming (or at least trying to given my schedule), I haven't had the time to write some new material.

Pretty soon, I'll be up and running again; writing new stuff about swimming.

Anyway, I have been writing this swimming novel called "The Swimming Diaries: The Comeback" these past few months. While I still have a long way to go to finish it let alone have it published (hopefully), I'd like to give you guys a taste of things to come.

The story is about Jim Salva, a sophomore Management student in the Ateneo Loyola Schools. After quitting the varsity swim team during his freshman year, he decides to mount a comeback to competitive swimming with the hopes of helping the Ateneo Blue Tankers win their first UAAP swimming championship. As he struggles to regain peak competitive form, Jim must find a way to either set aside or confront the issues which led to his quitting the team the year before.

Click here to read the prologue and first chapter of TSD: The Comeback. (It is still a rough draft so pardon any and all grammatical errors.)

Looking Back on 2011: Renaissance of Swimming

2011 witnessed what I like to call the renaissance of technical swimming. Some may argue that this rebirth started a year ago in 2010--when the high-tech full bodysuits were officially banned from competitions. However, to use the metaphor of the phoenix, 2010 was the death of the fully grown bird and its rebirth as an infant. 2011, on the other hand, was the phoenix's first flight; it's baby steps to reclaim its former glory. With all that has transpired last year, no other metaphor could be so apt. That said, here is my top five epic and memorable swimming moments of 2011. 

5. Brendan Hansen wins the 100 and 200 breaststroke in the US Nationals
When Brendan Hansen announced his comeback to swimming, he did not receive that same fan-craze or media-frenzy that Ian Thorpe got when he announced his. However, being a highly decorated swimmer and former World and Olympic Record Holder, USA swimming was more than pleased with the idea that one of the most dominant breaststrokers who ever lived will be attempting to gain more Olympic glory. Especially when USA's breaststrokers have not quite been able to pick up the slack Hansen left when he quietly retired back in 2008.

Some have doubted his endeavor as impossible borderline hopeless but after USA's Nationals, Hansen showed the world that his current swimming prowess matches his mental focus in possibly making the US National team. With impressive wins in the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke and with times near his best, the last surviving member of the original Texas Trio stable is still a force to be reckoned with.

"Hello, boys! I'm back!" 

Brendan Hansen Wins the 100 meter Breaststroke

"And I'm here to stay! London 2012, baby!"

Brendan Hansen Wins the 200 meter Breaststroke 

4. The Australian 4x100 meter freestyle relay gold medal performance
The 4x100 meter freestyle relay is regarded as one of the glamor events in swimming. There is little room for error so much so that a moment's hesitation could mean the podium for a team fast enough to make it to the final heat. While the winners are somewhat predetermined because of the very nature of the sport, miracles and surprise finishes tend to happen. Amazingly, miracle and surprise finishes have been a stipend in the 4x100 free these past three years. That said, it is easy to expect that the Shanghai World Championships would have one coming. The only question is which team would deliver it. Personally, I never expected the Australians to do it.

Coming in the event, all eyes were of course on the Americans. Boasting a team composed of three of the four world record holders (Michael Phelps, Garret Webber-Gale and Jason Lezak) as well as the gold medalist in the 100 free in the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships (Nathan Adrian), the Americans had it won on paper. However, the Australians proved to be the ones fast enough to dethrone the defending champions. Led by the blistering 47.49 split of youngster James Magnussen (that was actually the fastest 100 free in a textile suit, by the way!) as well as the strong anchor leg of veteran swimmer and former 100 free record holder Eamon Sullivan, the Aussies blew away the competition and swam atop the podium. What is more exceptional is that Matt Targett, Matt Abood and Eamon Sullivan all  swam 48 seconds mid to low to aptly complement the exceptional 47.49 of Magnusson.

And the Americans? They settled for third after a neck and neck race with arch-rival France. The French got their revenge for always finishing second to the Americans, I guess.

"Eat Our Wakes, Mates!"

Team Australia Dominates and Decimates!

3. Aussie youngster James Magnussen blitzes to the 100 freestyle gold 
After his superb starting leg in the 4x100 meter freestyle, the pressure was on for James, "The Missile" Magnussen. With a field that is packed with veteran freestylers the likes of record holder and defending champion Brazilian Cesar Cielo, Canadian Brent Hayden and Frenchmen Alain Bernard and Fabian Gilot as well as American sprint-sensation Nathan Adrian, Magnussen had his work cut out for him. A relative unknown in the international scene, Magnussen was the only swimmer under 48 seconds after the semi-finals, earning him the top seed. If the rookie felt the pressure, he surely did not show it; while he did not leave the field behind off the blocks, he methodically caught up with the leaders in the closing lap to become the first Australian 100 meters freestyle world champion.

I cannot wait to see how Magnussen will fare in the London this August. I am going out on a limb and say that there is a high probability that the 100 meter freestyle event in London will be Ground Zero caused by the Aussie Missile.

"The Missile has superseded the The Thorpedo!"

James Magnussen Wins the 100 meter freestyle, the first Aussie to do so

2. Ryan Lochte sets the first post-high-tech body suit long course world record...defeats Michael Phelps twice!
After Ryan Lochte shocked the world by getting near his 200 IM world record in 2010 during the Pan Pacific Championships, experts agreed that it was only a matter of time until Lochte becomes the first man to set a world record post-high tech body suit era. Almost a year later, at the World Championships in Shanghai, Lochte did not disappoint. Even with a motivated and semi-Olympic fit Michael Phelps racing against him, Lochte out-dueled the Greatest Swimmer of All Time in one of Phelps' signature events in world record fashion. As if to prove a point, Lochte again out-swam Phelps in the 200 meter freestyle.

What is amazing about Lochte's feats of beating Phelps is that he used Phelps' strengths to dethrone him in the world's stage! In the 200 IM, what spelled Phelps' demise was Lochte's powerful breaststroke leg. Historically, the backstroker Lochte always caught up with the butterflier Phelps in the second lap (the backstroke) and would begin to fade come breaststroke. This time around, Lochte distanced himself considerably from Phelps in the breaststroke, giving him enough of a cushion in the freestyle to challenge and defeat the world record line. In the 200 freestyle, Lochte employed a much more powerful underwater dolphin kick at all three turns, preventing Phelps from chasing him down in the final lap.

With London merely eight months away, I cannot wait for the Phelps-Lochte duel Part III. As Phelps continues to train harder with rejuvenated motivation and focus, Lochte will surely have a lot on his plate come the London Games. After all, their rivalry is as great as their friendship.

"Jeah! Got you, Michael!"

Ryan Lochte defeats Michael Phelps and breaks his 200 IM World Record

"Reezy out-swims The Baltimore Bullet"

Ryan Lochte wins the 200 meters freestyle...defeats Michael Phelps again! 

1. Sun Yang breaks Grant Hackett's ten year old record in the 1500 freestyle!
The greatest swimming moment in the international stage would be fall of Australian swimming legend Grant Hackett's world record in the 1500 meter freestyle. Set in 2001 at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Hackett's record in the longest and most grueling event in swimming was the only record left unscathed even after the advent of high-tech swimming suits. Dubbed by Olympic Champions Ous Melluoli as an "epic" record, Hackett's 14:34 seemed unbeatable. That is until Chinese swimmer Sun Yang came to the picture.

After flirting with the record in 2010, everyone in the swimming world, including Hackett himself knew that the epic 1500 freestyle record would soon tumble. In front of a home crowd, Sun Yang shifted to a higher gear during the last 25 meters of the race to dramatically and emphatically break the ten-year old record of the Australian swimming legend.

Judging by how strong Sun Yang finished the final lap, there is no doubt in my mind that he could have gone 14:33 high had he shifted to overdrive earlier. Judging by how he was "straddling" the world record line in the final 8 meters, I am sure that he could have not only broken but smashed the mile record. However, even if he broke it by 1 second or 1 hundredth of a second, the fact that he broke the longest active world record which survived the high-tech bodysuit era is legendary enough.

"The Hometown Hero bags the Gold in the Mile!"

Sun Yang wins the 1500 Free and cements his place in swimming history

2011 was truly a memorable year in the international swimming scene. I expect 2012--the London Olympic Games being the most important meet of the year--to be more memorable filled with epic swims, dramatic chase downs, surprising finishes and tumbling world records. 

Happy New Year and Take Your Mark!

Swimming Leadership Part II: How Do You Lead?

"Finding Inspiration"

While the movie is not about swimming, one of the many poignant lessons I took home after watching Invictus is how to "inspire ourselves [and our teammates] to greatness when nothing less will do." Witness the conversation between two great South African leaders--Nelson Mandela and Francois Pienaar--and listen to their views on leadership and inspiring your teammates to be better than what they think they can be. 

"We Need Inspiration"

The Full Conversation of Two Great SA leaders.

Take Your Mark!

Finding God in Swimming

Religion is one of the few things which I simply do not have the patience or diligence to understand. Having been brought up a Roman Catholic and receiving a catholic education my entire life, I still find myself wrestling with certain aspects of my religion. While I am not entirely a devout man, I fervently  believe in God; every time I swim, I could feel His presence. 

Quoting Eric Liddell from the movie Chariots of Fire, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." Minus the running part, that is exactly how I feel. Whenever I swim fast, I can almost see God smiling with delight and glee. After all, He made a swimmer. It is only right that I glorify Him through the blessing which He has given me. Yet, I feel His presence and pleasure not just when I swim fast but rather when I am simply in the pool, swimming.

Whenever I push off the wall for a sprint-endurance set, the sound of rushing water filling my ears, I could hear Him whispering, telling me to swim faster and use every ounce of my strength to get my target times. During the split second wherein I am suspended in the air after launching myself off the starting block, the calm I feel is His presence slowly washing away the anxieties I feel and replacing them with competitive fire. When I am so fatigued in the 200 meters butterfly, I hear His soothing yet commanding voice telling me to hold on and continue fighting, tooth and nail, to reach the wall. Whenever I look over the time panels and find out that I did not get my best time, I can feel His comforting arm drape over my shoulders as if telling me that I need not be too hard on myself; I swam, fought and raced with every bit of grit I had and for Him that is already something to be proud of.

On more than one occasion, I have doubted my religion. In fact, with everything that is happening around my community, I am afraid that I am losing my religion. Yet, as I grapple with the doubts and reservations I have, my faith in God is adamant. He has been with me as I swam competitively for 12 years. I am sure that even after hanging up my LZR Racers and Fast Skins, He will always be with me, silently pushing me to keep on swimming fast or at least try to swim fast again.

Finding God in all things has been one of the lessons I learned way back in grade school which I have always carried with me. It is only appropriate that I found God in swimming.

Take Your Mark!

5 Things Varsity Swimmers Need to Know & Understand

Ever since I entered college, I noticed that most swimmers younger than myself (as well as a certain number of senior swimmers) seemed to have developed amnesia with regard to the fundamental responsibilities of a swimmer. Well, amnesia may not be the right word to describe it since I do not think most of them were ever told that such responsibilities existed. But I did hope that they would have deduced such realities after a few years of swimming varsity. 

In either case, I think it is time that young swimmers are reminded of the things below. It would be such a pity if you guys do not put to memory and, more importantly, understand them. Trust me--these five things will help in the long run.

1. Not all the time should the Student come before the Athlete.

We have heard it all before in Coach Carter. "These kids are student-athletes. Student comes first," as Samuel L. Jackson eloquently phrased it. I am not disputing this. It is the obligation of every varsity swimmer--or athlete for that matter--to prioritize his education over his athletics. After all, turning professional is not an option for a Filipino swimmer for obvious reasons.

However, I have seen swimmers using the student-athlete excuse to chronically skip training. Kids, prioritizing academics over athletics does not mean forsaking your swimming obligations altogether. Prioritizing means striking a manageable balance between studying and swimming. The life of a student-athlete is hard to put it mildly. And while your coach, captain and/or teammates allow you certain latitude to skip training in order to study, please be reminded that you have voluntarily joined the team. Meaning to say, you accepted the difficult, complex and sacrifice-ridden life of a student-athlete in all its entirety; you embraced all of a varsity swimmer's responsibilities and obligations with open arms when you joined the team after passing try-outs. Let me stress it again; You joined to team voluntarily. No one forced or coerced you.

Except for certain unavoidable occasions, never use academics to skip team activities such as training and meets. Everyone, even the brightest, of your teammates is experiencing the same amount of difficulty you are going through so you have absolutely no right to complain or give excuses. And while you will have to skip athletic commitments for academic obligations, there will come a time wherein you ought to do the reverse. Whether it be cutting classes for meets, taking exams earlier or even load-reving from a class of the best teacher to the class of the terror teacher since the former coincides with training, you will have to see these through.

Boys and girls, sacrifices go both ways. So keep the student before the athlete alright; just do not be too uptight about it.

2. Listen to and RESPECT  your coach.

Integral to swimming success is your relationship with your coach and/or coaches. We all desire to have the perfect coach--one who is always understanding of our shortcomings and will never give sets we cannot accomplish. As lofty as such dreams are, we know that we rarely encounter such coaches. Often we get the composite coach--the combination of the dreaded one and the benevolent one in certain aspects of his personality. But of course, relationships with our coaches are dynamic.

In the team I came from, I am honestly astounded by how younger swimmers view our coaches. Most of the time, I had to restrain myself from coming down on numerous youngsters because their attitude  toward our coaches are downright disrespectful. While most of my teammates dismiss such attitudes as childish behaviors of, well, children, I cannot reconcile such things as gentlemanly, Atenean even. And let us not even begin to discuss the online social network bashing...

Guys, RESPECT ALL YOUR COACHES! You are allowed to have favorite coaches in as much as coaches are allowed to have favorite swimmers. That is a fact of any athlete's life. But respect your coaches indiscriminately nonetheless. You may not like them but you have to respect them, for their authority if not anything else. 

Keep in mind that your coaches (well most of them) only want what is best for you. They are hard on you because they believe that you can become a better person through sports.

Do not be scared if your coach comes down on you. Not too much anyway because that is a sign that he still wants to push you; that he still believes in you! Be scared when he ignores you completely. That is an indication of a total loss of confidence and trust. Believe me, I know.

However, if you really cannot swim for a coach you do not like and cannot bring yourself to respect in any way possible, find another one who you will swim for. There is nothing wrong about that. In fact, I highly recommend it. 

3. Never mind that no one watches your meets or even cares that you are a varsity swimmer.
Coming from a school whose administration, faculty and staff absolutely worships basketball and football as much as the student body, I understand completely why grade school, high school and college swimmers are very much frustrated when their achievements go unnoticed. Imagine swimming for your school for four grueling days trying to win a team championship by winning individual medals and breaking records without receiving so much as a thank you for your efforts regardless of the end result.  Would not you feel upset, frustrated even angry at that?  And when you hoist up your trophy at the end of the day, you do not even see the direct representatives of the student body--the varsity cheerleaders--because they are off at Araneta cheering for the basketball team full force. Get my point?  (For my opinions about the aforementioned, click Burst My Babble Part 1 and Burst My Babble Part 2)

In my years of swimming for my school, I have learned that while such a reality is dreadful, you are setting yourself for more than you can possibly imagine if you dwell on it too much. Lobby hard  and fight for the recognition you deserve and do it the right way. Other than that, just swim. Leave it out on the pool because at the end of the day, your achievements are only as important as what you make them regardless if your school recognizes your or not. 

For you grade schoolers, take it from me. Do not quit swimming to shift to the popular sports so that your peers will regard you as an athlete. You are an athlete, young man! And trust me, while your basketball batchmates bask in limelight now, their numbers will dwindle with every year level you progress since there are fewer and fewer leagues wherein basketball teams can play in high school and only the UAAP division in college. Only a few of them are good enough to make it to the UAAP Seniors Division so come college, the only league you will see these guys is the IAC (kind of like your Intrams in grade school). But if you stick it out with swimming, chances are you will still be enjoying the perks of a varsity member in college. (If you are wondering what some of the perks are, well, Ateneo College is co-ed!)

Here's another food for thought. While your basketball batchmates only play in one league be it PAYA, PRADA, PSBL and the like, you will be swimming in all of them! So technically, you are a member of at least two teams! How's that!

So keep swimming, young men. Keep staring at that emotionless black line and endure the proverbial chlorine-smell and tan lines. It will all be worth it in more ways that you will ever expect.

4. Competing does not start and end with the meet.
During my time as team captain for the college team, I cannot remember a time wherein I did not stress this. The competition does not start and end with the meet; it begins the moment you wake up everyday and will only end once you finally hang up your swimming gear. Competitive swimming is a consummate sport. The key to success is to keep swimming even when you are not swimming.

But how do you swim without swimming? Easy. By going the extra mile. Apply Magis in your sport! In my experiences, you accomplish a lot of your technique improvements and stroke corrections when you are not swimming. In every waking second, think about what will make you stronger, faster and better. Be as cerebral as you possibly can out of the pool because when you are racing, more often than not, your instincts take over. Also, take advantage of technology! Watch Youtube videos of the legends like Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe, Ryan Lochte, Grant Hackett, Kosuke Kitajima and other elite swimmers to learn from them and see what you can possibly adapt.  

Guys, never believe anyone who tells you that you need only to defeat your opponents during competitions. That is a total misconception. While the goal is to defeat your opponents during meets, the only way to do so is by defeating him in every aspect of the sport. It is true that you do not control what your rivals do but regardless, make sure that your goal is to outwork him in training by acting as if you are already competing. Outsmart him by eating the right food. Overpower him by religiously attending gym and land training sessions before pool workouts. But as creative and as unorthodox as possible!

5. Enjoy every second of swimming; have as much fun as you can.
Enjoy swimming as much as you can, young ones. Swim every swim as if it is your last and enjoy the company of your teammates as much as you possibly can. As amazing as life is, it is also unforgivingly unpredictable. So love swimming, even if she plays hard-to-get.

A word of warning though. As much as I advocate having fun, please keep them in the proper perspective and in line. When it is time to get serious, do not fool around. Focus your attention at the task at hand and have fun afterward, once you and your teammates finish the set. Surviving hellacious sets are always fun and entertaining to look back on. Especially when one of your teammates is a sport when he is the butt of all the innocent ribbing and jokes!

Boys and girls, I hope that these five things are clear enough. If you have any questions or concerns, never hesitate to leave a comment!

Take Your Mark!

Time Away the Right Way

Swimming is a repetitive sport; the only way one will improve and get faster is by swimming lap after lap after lap. While speed variation spices up the monotony of workouts, staring at the black line on the pool floor for four hours a day will eventually drive one to complete boredom. When I was younger, I loved staring at that black line while I trained. As I grew older, probably around the same time girls, guitars and movies started piquing my interest, the monotony of swimming slowly got to me. I no longer enjoyed the sound of rushing water through my swimming cap as I sprinted full clip. Nor did I look forward to the restless yet satisfying after-training feeling after a gruesomely long workout. I started hating the unmerciful and unattached black line which seemed to enjoy watching me tire up and miss my target times. Slowly, I made excuses not to attend training to do what I do not normally do when I did train for four hours. I played basketball, read, studied, hung out with my friends and everything else not associated with swimming. Then, I walked away, telling myself that swimming was no longer for me and that I had accomplished all that I can possibly accomplish. But I was in grade school then; in retrospect, all that I said back then were the ramblings and excuses of an immature and scared schoolboy suffering from an extreme bout of inferiority complex. I vowed never to return to looking at the black line but lo and behold, not even six months after, I am again swimming and competing like never before.

When I talk to swimmers these days, even those who picked up the sport three or four years ago, I always notice a sense of weariness in their tone whenever we discuss their swimming progress. Though their reasons are varied ranging from not making the UAAP team or being in disfavor with the coaches, the monotony of swimming is usually the most important reason they leave unsaid.

Young sirs and misses, it is understandable that after a while, your interest in swimming suddenly plateaus. What was once fun and exciting now becomes work, repetitive and ultimately, unappealing. While you stop and wonder aloud what has happened to your once unyielding motivation to swim, you also wonder how some of your teammates, particularly those in the elite team, still find the endurance to perform what you now deem as the most uninviting sport ever created. As you wrestle with that riddle, whatever motivation you have left plummets leading you to miss more trainings and eventually, quitting the sport altogether.

When you feel that your motivation is waning and are no longer too enthused to train twice a day, my advice is simple. Get some time away from the pool and everything else that goes with it. Skip training, watch a movie, go out with your girlfriend or boyfriend, play your Xbox of PS3; do anything and everything not related to swimming. Before you go to bed, do not think about swimming. Do not even look at your gym back or swimming gear for this might store something in your sub-conscious which might surface when you are dreaming. Do this for three to five days straights and I guarantee you that come the fifth day, you will find yourself in the pool deck once more.

But of course, keep this time away within reason. Inform your coaches as much as possible. You do not have to tell them to truth but do not lie to them! That goes double with your teammates. It goes without saying that you do not do this in-season especially when you plan on taking five days off. In fact, taking time away should never cross your mind when you are preparing for the biggest and most important meet of the year. Do it during the off-season or right after said biggest meet. Take an extended rest holiday beyond the requisite rest period; prolong a week to two and spend the first resting and the second doing everything you have been deprived off during the season. Just do not get carried away. After all, you will be returning to the pool even if you tell yourself that you have no intention to. In my experience, what you say in front of people is totally different from what you say to yourself when you have lost all the motivation and reason to swim.

Every athlete needs a certain time away from his sport especially when the motivation is no longer there. If anything, time away puts things in perspective. Ultimately, this will allow you to re-ignite that burning passion to swim. In my case, before permanently retiring from competitive swimming last March, I walked away from the sport on two separate occasions. My reasons for quitting the first time are not the same as the second, to point a fact. However, what I can say is that the time I spent away from the pool--four months the first time, one year the second--made me realize just how much I loved the sport and how I was made to be swimmer. While it was difficult to swallow my pride and face the same crowd who I felt I betrayed when I hung my suits, not returning at all would have been a greater betrayal to myself. While the reintroduction was rough, I found that I was more passionate that time around. Like a long lost lover, I embraced swimming and fought hard not to let her go again. The result? Two years as an athletic scholar in high school and establishing new best times in college.

Young swimmers, everyone, even world-class swimmers go through the waning-of-motivation phase. They walk away but eventually, they find themselves returning more determined, inspired and motivated than ever. (Refer to my previous article if you want proof). So take some time off, by all means. Break out of your swimming-crazed schedule and try other things. Just remember to keep things within reason! As the ancient Greeks say, "everything in moderation."

Take Your Mark!