Personal Narrative: How Swimming Changed My Life

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For the last two years swimming has taken up most of my time. That time was spent getting faster, conversing with teammates, and helping the younger girls get better. After practice one day my coach informed me that I would not be making the sections team because of my time. Being the first senior in five years not to make it, I felt like a failure. For the next few days of practice I checked out mentally. My times suffered because of my apathetic attitude. My body felt slow and lethargic along with my mind. The other girls were trying their best to be supportive, but their words were not met with open arms. When everyone else was cheering over our new girls swimming their best times I was in the locker room moping about mine. I could not even put on a happy smile for my last home meet.
After that depressing meet, I decided that I needed a mental makeover. Instead of being degrading toward myself and others I was going to be positive. After all, if these were going to be my last few days on the swim team I better make them count. For the next few …show more content…

My hands slipped on the metal gutters of the pool when I did my turn but otherwise my leg of the race went well. During my next event I felt energized and ended up getting my best time for the season. Before I knew it, the official blew the whistle to get in the water for my next race. My feet flew off the wall as I started. It was perfect. Out of the corner of my eye I could see my teammate racing next to me. Willing my feet to kick faster I sped in and out of the first turn. My second turn was not as perfect. I miscalculated and flipped over far before I was supposed to, leaving me stranded with nothing to push off of. This slight mishap did not deter me. I was not going to let myself slow down. To end my race I ended with a perfect finish. Stretching to touch the pad faster even if it only decreased my time by a few hundredths of a