If you grew up on a summer swim team, chances are some of your best summer memories were made with your team. It might have meant waking up early on your days off, but the time was totally worth it. Here are some signs that you might have grown up on a summer swim team.
1. You had no concept of sleeping in, even though it was summer.
Your practices were most likely early in the morning (aka 7 a.m.), so, even though you were off from school, getting to sleep in wasn't an option. It might have been tough, but you didn't totally hate being at the pool before anyone else.
2. You know what a walking taco is.
Or a walking taco. The real question is, do you prefer it with Fritos or Doritos?
3. You associate Monday with Funday.
If you won your meet on Saturday, Monday was actually the best day of the week. Playing sharks and minnows or water polo and jumping off the diving board? Yes, please!
4. Looking at heat sheets was a hobby.
I loved searching for my name on the heat sheet. Unlike club swimming, what you swam from meet to meet was never the same, so it was always exciting to finally find out what you were doing.
5. Swim meets meant a constant diet of sugar.
A big shout out to the concession stand for keeping me going. Donuts, skittles, airheads, sour patch kids, and every candy in between. Most of my Saturdays in the summer were spent on a major sugar high.
6. Swimming your rival team was always nerve wracking.
The meet was always close and the score was probably tied up until the relays. It was a nail biter up until the end, but it was the best feeling when your team came out victorious. When you won, everyone looked like this:
7. Your summer best friends were on your team.
If you didn't go to school with them, chances are you only saw them during the summer, which meant you probably spent every day together.
8. You lived for heat winner ribbons.
No matter how old you were, they never failed to make you feel accomplished. Same goes for personal best ribbons. Or any ribbon for that matter.
9. The summer you stopped swimming 25s was the worst summer of your life.
What do you mean I have to start swimming 50s? I don't think I can swim a whole 50 fly legally!
10. Doughnut day was the best day of the entire season.
There's nothing better than having your coach reward you for all your hard work with sprinkled doughnuts. My day got exponentially better when I walked on the pool deck and saw the bright orange Dunkin box sitting on a picnic table.
11. You understand the struggle of one-piece tan lines.
No matter how much you tried to avoid them, you always seemed to get them.
12. You stressed about which medal meet you'd qualify for?
Would it be silver? Gold? God forbid you'd be forced to swim at the bronze meet (even if it meant sweeping the awards and getting tons of trophies).
13. You loved the banquet.
Even though it meant the season was over, the banquet was always a blast. There was good food, fun with friends, and paper plate awards!
14. You don't know how your coach dealt with kids all summer, but you're so glad they did.
Chances are they had a real job outside of coaching, so they technically could have quit at any time. However, they loved the team as much as you did, and you could feel their passion for the sport. I can't thank my summer coach enough (you rock, Richard) for actually teaching me how to swim and never giving up on me.
15. You'd do anything to go back.
Your last meet as an 18 year old was depressing because it meant your career as a summer swimmer was over. You would give anything to spend one last summer filled with Funday Mondays, walking tacos, and 7 a.m. practices if it meant one more year with your team.
