Senior Reflections

Posted on May 6, 2012 by admin

Hi all! My name is Alicia Lightbourne and I’m a senior sprint freestyler and breaststroker on HWSD. Below is a short excerpt from my senior speech, and then some:

It was one of those mornings where you seem to run on automatic without really thinking; put on clothes, grab phone, pocket keys, walk out front door. As I quietly eased the door shut behind me at six in the morning, an unsure “Hello?” echoed up the central dorm staircase. Not used to anyone that’s not used to smelling like chlorine being up at this hour, I spun around only to find my floor empty and every door closed. I walked down the stairs only to be intercepted by the third floor proctor, “Didn’t I just see you come back two hours ago from the library?” Still perplexed as to why he was awake so early, I remained mute. He continued, “No, I’m serious. Did you literally just get back and now you’re on your way to practice? Man, your schedule scares me.” I started to edge away, a signal that this one-sided conversation was over. With a shake of his head as he turned to open his door, he muttered “I don’t know how you girls do it.”

Though the all-nighters and midnight treks to the library are now largely a thing of the past, the awe in this sentence has always stuck with me. I had always known that what we do seems near impossible to those who aren’t used to our lifestyle. In high school, we, as any other Harvard student-athlete, were used to doing it all and doing it well. We had priorities and we stuck to them. But life post-high school has proven a lot more difficult. I had always been not just capable, but invincible, yet the addition of rigorous academics was a serious blow to what used to be my unwavering love for the sport. But something even more beautiful and inspiring arose.

I had become so obsessed with asking myself why; why do I put myself through all that I do – the 6am wake-ups, the Vo2 max sets, the unbelievable pain that comes with a change in the GH (or growth hormone) phase, and of course the no-I-can’t-because-I-have-practice’s- that I had stopped remembering HOW I did it. And the answer is, with each and every girl on HWSD. The endless hours in a dining hall, the excitement over new frozen yogurt flavors, The Zoo, the dancing on deck, the training trips, la nueve cuatro, the diver’s Halloween practice, the what-should-we-call-me’s, the look in your teammate’s eyes when you know that she’s got this, the feeling of anchoring a winning relay, of being Ivy League Champs 2x, and of finally being Ivy League Dual Meet Champs. Every time I thought I couldn’t, or questioned my motivation, I was given 36 reasons why I could. So the next time someone tells me, “I don’t know how you do it”, the only response I can think of is “I don’t know how you don’t.”

As my countdown to graduation gets dangerously low, it’s easy to get lost in the untimely end of it all. This past Wednesday marked the last day of official class, which means the last day of undergraduate class ever for the 10 of ’12, the steadfast senior class that has stuck together through it all. As the semester winds down, it seems as if not one day can pass by without a reminder of our “lasts” – the last problem set, the last house formal, and ultimately, the last practice at Blodgett. However, I can confidently say that instead of just looking back on this time at Harvard with sorrow that it is all over, the class of ’12 can also look back with pride at what we helped to create. #shots fired

A Senior Moment

Posted on April 23, 2012 by admin

Hi everyone! I’m Hilary Roberts, a graduating senior 200 flyer/400IMer on the team.

Just about a week ago, HWSD had the senior banquet at the Harvard Club in Boston where a season recap was given, awards were given out, and all the seniors gave their senior speeches. I of course put it off to the last minute. How could I put what I felt about this team into words? My entire swimming college experience compressed into a span of 4 minutes? What did I even want to say?

I ended up sitting down at breakfast the morning of, and writing my speech out in a notebook. It started with a, “As most of you know, I’m not the best public speaker…” and ended with all my thank yous. I’m not sure if I said everything I wanted to say though, as talking of my experiences got me carried away on tangents. So here is my speech, rewritten, and hopefully an adequate expression of my love for HWSD:

This team means so much to me. Coming from high school, you don’t really get a sense of team. At swim meets you don’t have that sense of family, like you want to do something so bad. Not because you want it, but because others need you to. The team needs you to. I remember when this realization came to me (of course only 3 and a half years into college swimming …). It was during the first couple of events at our meet at Northwestern versus Iowa and Northwestern. I remember thinking, my team needs me, I need to do something, I have to do something. I had never put that into a concrete thought before. Earlier in the season, we raced Columbia in what ended up being the most intense duel meet I have ever raced in. I remember feeling butterflies in my stomach, heart racing even though I was sitting down, and sweaty palms. At that meet, we 200 flyers needed to go 1, 2, 3 in order to bring us back into the lead. And we did.

What I’m trying to say is, I can’t imagine I will find this feeling elsewhere. All of us train every day in a sensory deprived world where the only thing your performance depends upon is you. Your attitude, your technique, the effort you put in mentally and physically. If swimming is such an individual sport, how can we just know that when someone steps up behind the blocks, they’re going to give it their all. And, even more importantly, they will do it because they can. All of us train every day with each other. We are a constant reminder to ourselves that we do need to go that extra mile, put in more than we thought possible, so that we can be someone that the team can depend on. It was said at Ivies this year by someone that [she] could look at everyone in the room, and be so confident that that person would step it up and do what was needed to be done in order to win. Not just because of their mental toughness, or fierce determination, but because she had been training with all of us, every day for the past season, and knew that we had put in the training needed to be capable of holding that rope.

Freshman year when my shoulder injuries took me out of the water, there was no doubt of me returning. How could I not return? (Part of it was my well known slight insanity when it comes to training and liking to do too much.) But an even more so reason was that every day on deck I would watch everyone practicing, pushing each other. How could I not want to be a part of that atmosphere? How could I not want to contribute to that attitude, to an environment where the concept of backing down from a challenge didn’t exist?

On this team, if someone needs help, whether it be in finding the right outfit, or writing a french paper, another is there. Not to sound too corny, but if something is wrong, we’re there for each other. I haven’t found anywhere else where there is an entire team of people that give me a sense of family, support and friendship. You all have something special, something to treasure. Know that, and take advantage of it every day. Time in college flies by, and before you know it, you’ll be going off to be a real world person.

So when I graduate from Harvard, things will never be the same. I won’t just be leaving my college life, I’ll be leaving this team. This team has taught me so much about how a group of people can be much more than the individual sum of everyone’s talents and abilities. Being on this team has been an incredible life changing experience, and I couldn’t imagine college without it. When I think of all of you, I can’t find one person who hasn’t inspired me to work harder, or to be more than I thought I could ever be. I will miss every one of you. Thank you all for giving me one of the greatest experiences I will ever have.

You all rock.

HWSDlove,

Hilary

Seniors at the Banquet!

Operation Omaha

Posted on April 9, 2012 by admin

Hello all! My name is Mackenzie Luick and I’m a junior breaststroker on HWSD.

Spring has officially arrived at the pool, and even the weather has been much nicer. Our spring training is always a great time to build a solid foundation for the next college season, and this year has been especially strong. With a large group of us training to qualify for and attend Olympic Trials this June as part of our Operation Omaha, workouts have been just as focused, intense, and difficult as they are in season, giving us an early advantage on the next college season. I’m sure you follow @HarvardSwim on twitter, and have seen how creative our Friday cross training has been! We have been back at our dryland circuits in “The Zoo” too, and have transitioned to doing workouts in our main stroke in the 50m course in the mornings. It’s been a nice change to be done with tapering and back to training hard, and many of us are enjoying feeling sore from dryland and tough workouts in the pool again.

While Courtney and Meghan were getting ready for NCAA Championships, a core group of Operation Omaha attended a sectional meet in Wisconsin. While we didn’t see any Trial times, everyone had good swims and learned a lot about what we can work on going forward. We also did win the meet (combined and women, even though we only had women), proving once again our strength as a team. We also sent a group to Canadian Olympic Trials two weekends ago, where seniors Helen and Ali and freshman Sarah represented HWSD on an international level.

As a rising senior, it has been so fun and different from normal spring seasons because we still get to train with a good group of our seniors from this year. Having their leadership continue into the spring has been a great way to build an even stronger team atmosphere. In addition to our standard off-season training, our focus on Operation Omaha as a team has really brought purpose, focus, and intensity to the pool. Everyone on the team, whether they are a part of Operation Omaha or not, has a higher level of focus as defending Ivy League Champions. Looking to repeat that and gain an ECAC title next college season will not be easy, and the hard work we are putting in now will go a long way to helping us jump start the next season when we return in the fall. Sharing a goal as a team in addition to our individual goals of success is what has made us such a formidable force all year, and seeing that continue into spring training has been amazing.

April is always a busy month at Harvard, and we are looking forward to not only the end of the year banquet, but also Junior weekend and pre-frosh weekend in the upcoming weeks. For Operation Omaha, we have a few more weeks of steady training with meets coming up in the end of April and into May. We’re especially looking forward to attending a big meet in Tennessee in late May/early June, as this will be a chance for many of us to make our first or additional Olympic Trial qualifying times. It’s going to be a great spring and summer, so stay tuned for exciting updates!

National Championships

Posted on April 1, 2012 by admin

What’s up HWSD fans?! It’s rising sophomore ( Gasp! No longer a froshie!) Courtney Otto here to tell you all the imminent details of life after claiming the Ivy Championship trophy. Well, our post- victory celebration mentality was given until Tuesday to calm down, and then it was back to reality. Senior Meghan Leddy and I found out on Wednesday that we were invited to the NCAA Championships to be held in Auburn, Alabama! While the meet was scheduled for March 15 -17 which happened to fall right during our spring break, I can’t really say that I was disappointed to be spending my time off racing in one of the fastest meets the US has to offer.

The week and a half that Meghan and I trained in Cambridge was definitely a little difficult. Most of our team went to Wisconsin for Speedo Sectionals, and due to our different event line-ups, we had to practice by ourselves a bit too often. Needless to say, with the help of a manicure date we pulled through and were both so excited to be able to represent Harvard at Nationals.

We left Cambridge on Tuesday giving ourselves about a day and a half recovery to prepare for the start of the meet on Thursday. My relationship with Coach Steph grew rapidly on the flight down as her shoulder served as a wonderfully comfortable pillow. The next couple days also proved to have some very beneficial bonding time. I finally got Meghan to color from my Disney coloring book, she in turn gave me nightmares while making me watch Criminal Minds, and eating Hibachi with some very Southern folk also proved to be an interesting experience. Along with these outside-the-pool activities, inside both Meghan and I were feeling great in the water and were eagerly anticipating the start of Day One.

Thursday was the start of competition, and while Meghan had the day off, I had my bonus race, the 500 free. The morning started off with a feel-good wake-up swim, followed by a delicious breakfast and then back the to pool. My nerves started to get the best of me however, and I shakily swam to a 4: 51. We came back later that evening to watch finals, and while I was inspired by the amount of girls who could break the 4:40 barrier, I felt inferior in comparison to the rest of the girls, and it was a feeling not easily shaken.

Friday dawned a beautiful new day as Meghan prepared for her 100 Back, and I, my 400 IM. Meghan’s 55.72 was just a bit off her personal best, and my 4: 14 400 IM was equivalent to my best time prior to Ivies. While we both swam solid morning swims, there was still an air of disappointment because really, who likes to just watch finals? While I didn’t want to admit it at the time, coming back each night and watching finals really taught me a lot. The way the All-Americans handled themselves with a calm, cool confidence was admirable. Frankly, it was an eye opener.

The final day of competition on Saturday brought forth the best out of Meghan and I. She had her 200 back, while I finished up with the 2 fly. We both ended with solid time in 1:58 and 1: 57 respectively.

Swimming at the NCAA Championships was definitely one of my most memorable experiences. While it wasn’t a huge team celebration like Ivy’s, I still felt the HWSD love daily as my phone, and email blew up with congratulatory messages, as well as good luck wishes. Also, being able to share my first National meet experience with another teammate was also special, and I can’t wait for the coming years. I know having more individuals at the meet is definitely a team goal in the years to come and I have no doubt that my teammates want it just as badly as I do. I’m so excited for spring training, and watch for HWSD as we compete in both the Canadian and US Olympic Trials!

Sendin y’all some HWSD Love <3

We Did It

Posted on March 25, 2012 by admin

There’s something that we train for day in, day out that makes us keep going. It makes us get up 6 am each morning, submerge our bodies into a freezing ice bath after a hard practice, and not give up even when our bodies feel like they can’t move any farther. And after our Ivy League Championships, I finally know what that moment is. It’s that moment when you look at your teammates and they have the same look of shock you have on your own face. It’s when you realize that every last breath you fought not to take and every wall you forced your legs to push off has paid off.

My name is Deirdre Clute, and I am a sophomore swimmer on HWSD, although most only know me by Deeds. This year was not only my first time being a part of winning an Ivy League Championship, but also my first time being at the Ivy League meet. No matter how much my teammates prepared me, they could not have explained the intensity and excitement that came along with these three days.

It seems crazy that over six months of training is all for that one moment, but I’m sure any member could tell you that it is MORE than worth it. Before our last session, we gathered in our locker room to have one last team meeting. We had a high enough score that we felt comfortable, but we still knew that we were in a dog fight and we couldn’t fall short on anything. Just as we were about exit the locker room to start a team cheer, Coach Steph told us how badly she wanted to win: Harvard had not won in OUR pool, since she was the captain of the team her senior year. For a second we went silent, as we felt chills rolling over our bodies. Ziggy of course started crying. And then the locker room erupted. Everyone started cheering and chanting variations of, “We’re doing this for you Steph!” “We’ve got this!” “Here we go!” And the energy didn’t dip for one minute from then until the last race of the meet. We screamed for each race as much as the next, celebrating victories and pushing teammates on each lap. We stayed focused on one race at a time and before we knew it, the meet was over. As we stood anxiously by the side of the pool waiting for the score, we all grouped together holding hands, eyes glued on the scoreboard. And then it appeared. Just eight scores in a column, with ours at the top. I heard screaming, felt jumping, but all I could do was make eye contact with another teammate and say, “We did it.”

Every team in our league is talented, and each one works hard all year long. But the trophy goes to the team that can come together and use all of their strengths and weaknesses to have the most successful meet possible. Our first session of the meet was not the standout group of morning swims we had hoped for. But I would say it was worth it just to watch the team come together, get back on our feet, and attack harder than we ever thought possible. Going into the first night of finals, we did not have as many top 8 finalists as we would have hoped for. But instead of our team crumbling and admitting defeat, everyone stood up and swam with an unbelievable vengeance. We had swimmers in the console and bonus heats that won by multiple body lengths just to show how hard we were willing to fight.

That’s what is so special about our team. No one ever had a negative thought or a worry that we couldn’t do it. It was only a matter of how we would do it. Getting onto the blocks and boards, each girl knew that they had 17 girls sitting on the sidelines cheering them on and 35 girls that they were racing and diving for. I could never have imagined how powerful that thought is. But when you have a team as amazing as HWSD, you don’t swim for yourself, you swim for those girls. That motivation unlocks a certain kind of strength that allows us to surpass all limits that our minds and bodies hold over us. To be on a team where each person so selflessly puts the team first is rare and remarkable. I have absolute love and trust for each girl on this team, and I am sure two more years on the team will only strengthen that. I could not be more honored to be a part of this team and I know this is only the start of how great we can be. Congrats HWSD, we did it.

Harvard on the Warpath

Posted on March 7, 2012 by admin

What a weekend! It’s hard to believe that just six months ago each member of this
team arrived on campus with a new season ahead of us. From killer team sets, to
an unforgettable training trip, to our HYP victory, these last few months were filled
with innumerable moments that have bonded 36 incredible women together as one
united team. I remember Steph saying on our very first day of official practice that
each year the team is unique. She told us to look around at one other; with everyone
on board, we had an opportunity to become the team that we wanted to be. After
six months, I can confidently say that I could not have asked for a more dedicated,
hardworking, and tight knit group of girls to call my teammates and friends, and
that’s what makes this team so special.

My name is Kyle Krueger. I am a sophomore, and this weekend I got to represent
HWSD at ECACs in Annapolis, Maryland. The days leading up to the meet were
filled with the eager anticipation of making pump up playlists, having team dinners,
painting our nails crimson, and anxiously awaiting our opportunity to race. When
we finally touched down in Baltimore after a bumpy flight, we were thrilled to have
finally arrived. After being helped into our black and red minivans by none other
than Michael Phelps’ cousin, we blasted our music and were off to Navy’s campus.

Because ECACs did not start until Friday, the Ivy team got a head start on the
competition. We were inspired by their Thursday swims as we excitedly shared
results with one another. At the first of many team meetings, our incredible
volunteer coach, Kyle Cutter ’07, got us pumped up with one of her signature
motivational talks. We were so fortunate to have both of our amazing captains,
Kristi Korsberg and Victoria Pratt, leading the way this weekend as well, along with
four other wonderful seniors (Margaret Fish, Ali Lightbourne, Helen Pitchik, and
Jessica Stanchfield). When Friday morning finally arrived, we were ready to get on
the blocks and boards and let our swimming and diving do the talking.

We took it out strong on day one and never let up. From the very first event, I knew
that every single one of my teammates was giving her all and fighting for every inch.
We may have been small in numbers, but no one could beat the ubiquitous presence
we had on deck. Even coaches and swimmers from other teams commented on our
obvious camaraderie and genuine enthusiasm in supporting one another! With
every swim, our traditional three-claps cheer was loud and clear, and teammates
lined up along the pool and behind our lanes. In each race it was evident that people
were not swimming for themselves. They put themselves on the line for the sake of
each other. They had the love, support, and confidence of all 35 of their teammates
behind them. And most of all, they were swimming for Harvard.

While it’s difficult to describe the emotion that goes into a championship meet,
the excitement of cheering for a neck-and-neck finish, the thrill of watching your
teammate charge into the lead, the exhaustion of knowing you left everything

in the water, and the overwhelming pride we all felt for one another were most
pronounced. As we did the “Harvard on the Warpath” cheer before each finals
session, we were reminded that we were in a tough battle. Above all, I think that
Sunday’s sessions showed what being a member of HWSD is all about. Not only did
everyone fight to make it back to finals that night, but our fire and energy both in
our races and in cheering for one another never dimmed, even when Navy pulled
just beyond our reach. While we ended up in a tie for second in the final score
behind Navy, we were able to come home with our heads held high knowing that
every one of us had shown the signature HWSD fighting spirit. Although a runner-
up finish can’t help but fuel our pursuits for next season, our motto at both Ivies
and ECACs was “one team.” Our yearlong team effort has paid of with an Ivy League
Championship that no one will ever be able to take away from this group of women.

From the silly moments of blasting everyone’s new favorite One Direction song with
the windows down in our minivan to the emotional and inspiring moments cheering
for seniors’ last swims, ECACs was an unforgettable experience. A special thanks to
Kyle for coaching us, to Matt’s dedication in flying down for Sunday’s sessions, to
Steph for motivating us from afar, and to all the parents, families, and friends who
traveled from near and far to cheer us on. And of course, I’m especially grateful for
each one of my teammates. I have never been more proud to be part of a team than I
was to be a part of HWSD this weekend.

ECAC team in our hotel

Making our presence known behind every Crimson lane

Gotta Want It to Win It

Posted on February 19, 2012 by admin

Hello there swimmers, family and friends. My name is Ana Anaya and I
am a freshman flyer. Before I start talking about this past week and
the challenges we face ahead, I would like to take a moment to
describe what drew me to this team.

I remember being a senior in high school training long hours on my
club team. The sets were brutal and right when I thought I couldn’t
take another stroke, a thought popped into my head. A simple thought,
yet a powerful one. I would soon become a member of one of the most
extraordinary group of girls out there, the Harvard Women’s Swimming and
Diving Team. It only took one visit for me to truly understand what a
powerful team this was. These woman are driven by desire and passion,
surpassed by none and matched by few. Fast forward into the beginning
of my freshman year and all of my previous notions about this team
were confirmed.

I remember sitting by the bleachers during one of Steph’s “brief”
meetings. She spoke about hunger, and chasing one’s goals without fear
of failure. We were told that we didn’t act like we wanted to win bad
enough. This obviously stroke a nerve among us all and we quickly got
whipped into shape. This notion, the bare idea that we did not want to
be champions has rung through my ears all year. I can say now, firmly
and without a single doubt in my mind, that there is nothing that we
want more than to win two championships next weekend.

We have all worked harder than we have ever worked before. We have
surprised ourselves by mastering sets, which once seemed impossible.
We have put our bodies through incredible amounts of pain because we
are shooting for one united goal. We have reached our breaking points
and persevered until the end. In each of my teammates, my sisters, I
see such an immense amount of passion and devotion. Seeing them
working so hard makes me want to be better and for that I thank each
and everyone of them.

Through this entire season, these woman have welcomed all of the
freshman into their tight knit family. We have all become so close
through various activities and bonding sessions. But most importantly
we have been united every day, in every practice. As I look around the
pool deck, I find comfort in knowing that all of these woman are
standing behind me. We are a team like no other. We not only train for
our individual victories, we train for each other. That’s the true
meaning of being a crimson swimmer. We celebrate each others victories
and pick each other up when things don’t go our way. The ability to
look beyond ourselves and work together as a team is what makes us
unique. It’s what makes us dangerous.

Next weekend we depart for what is sure to be one of the most
electric weekends we have ever faced. Although our entire team will
not be under one venue, we all compete as one. As we begin our
championship season we know in our hearts that we have done everything
to prepare. The time has come to show everybody what we are made of.
Defeating a defending championship team will not be an easy feat, but
as we stand side by side with the support of our family and fans, we know
that we cannot fail. We are prepared to fight until the very end. It’s
time to let our swimming do the talking. It’s time to show what we
have been working so very hard for. We will not back down, we will not
be intimidated, and we will defend our house.

The juniors at our "Zoo" themed bonding night

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Posted on February 12, 2012 by admin

My name is Paige Newell and I am a sophomore distance swimmer on HWSD. My main three events are the 500, 1000, and 1650 freestyle but I recently got involved with open water swimming and competed in the 5k at Open Water Nationals. I am hoping that at some point in my career I will be able to compete a 10k and a 25k, but for now Blodgett suits me just fine. What I’ve come to realize in my 15 or so years of swimming is that swimming is not just a sport it’s a lifestyle. It takes a very unique person to be able to pull yourself out of bed at six in the morning and walk across the Charles River only to be greeted by a freezing pool. Although, I think I am giving swimmers as individuals a little too much credit, it’s not the desire to train or euphoric feeling of swimming 8000 yards before most of the campus wakes up, it’s that you get to see your 40 closest friends every day for 2-4 hours. HWSD has given me so much in the past two years, from great time management and a good work ethic to my best friends… and did I mention the ability to eat two Qdoba burritos in one sitting? I am so incredibly excited to see what the next two years holds for us.

Now with only two weeks left in the season it’s the best time of the year… TAPER!!! With the length and stress level of practices steadily decreasing the energy of the team is skyrocketing. Now is the two weeks out of the year when you absolutely must eat right, get enough sleep, take care of yourself, and really focus. Still riding on the adrenaline from HYP, I think it’s safe to say that HWSD is ready for another competition. On February 23-25 we will split our team between two championship meets: ECACs and Ivies. No matter what team you are on the goal is the same, win two championships in one weekend. We have already put in all the work we can so now it’s just time to race and to see everything pay off.

Lions, and Tigers , and Bears oh my… Good thing we train at the zoo ; )

We Are Harvard

Posted on February 6, 2012 by admin

It is no exaggeration when I say that this past weekend was the most exciting swim meet I have ever been a part of. There are no words to effectively capture the intensity, heart, and passion that every swimmer and diver radiated this past weekend. But in an attempt to best summarize the energy; in my three years on this team, I have never been more proud to be a member of Harvard Women’s Swimming and Diving.

HYP is always our last meet before championships, and while still scored like a dual meet, it is spread over two days, mimicking a trials-finals schedule and giving the athletes more rest between events. HYP is a historic rivalry, and always brings out impressive parent, fan, and alumni support. And this year we hosted the event in our home pool.

In short synopsis, less than 24 hours ago HWSD put an end to Princeton’s six year long claim to the Dual Meet Championship title. Final score 190-110. While the numbers are impressive, they do nothing to capture the raw emotion and determination that every athlete displayed to achieve the final result.

Before every competition we meet in our locker room as a team. And while the meetings are always motivational and exciting, this time there was something positively electric in the air… and it worked its way into every person’s core. Coach Morawksi’s speech was the most invigorating we have ever received. We are the underdogs. We have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. The take home point; “swim faster, dive straighter.” Afterwards, teammates took center stage to voice their own inspirational words. By the time we were finished, not a single person was left without goosebumps. As we marched out on deck chanting, “We are Harvard,” I have never before felt so connected with the team. We were untied by one common goal. No longer individuals compiling a team; we were Harvard, and Harvard was ready to fight.

As many of you know, one of our favorite phrases this year is, “Welcome to the Zoo.” Originating from our animalistic dryland routine, we have since incorporated the beastly metaphor into our swimming, diving, and attitudes outside of the pool. And as we all stood there, about to enter into battle, we were indeed caged animals. Two teams were coming to attack, but what they didn’t know was that in our house you have to play by our rules.

The tone of the meet was set by the first medley relay. We went 1-3 on Princeton, breaking a team record in the process. And from there the wins just kept coming. 1-2 in the 1,000, 1-2-3 in the 200 freestyle … (To read a highlight of all the individual performances, see the recent GoCrimson article: http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/wswimdive/2011-12/releases/20120205j7y2tw) The success was infectious. It mounted with each triumph, building, and enveloping the team. The air in Blodgett was charged with energy. But they key to our success was not by riding the escalating excitement. Instead, where we really shined was in our ability to remain calm. Even when victory was palpable we were composed. And it paid off.

This past weekend we boiled competition down to its most simple essence: get your hand to the wall first. And we did. And each time we did, smiles erupted across the lanes and boards, smiles that easily outshined the deafening roars accompanying the wins.

As we go into the next few weeks, we keep one truth at heart: We are STILL the underdogs, but we’re ready to flip the script.

Caroline Weaver,
Class of 2013
Backstroker

The Great Balancing Act

Posted on January 29, 2012 by admin

Hello, swimfans! I’m sophomore butterflyer Petra Janney from Edgecomb, Maine. Now that classes are gearing up and the tireless members of HWSD are back to being student-athletes and not just sweat-panted swimming machines, we must step again into the delicate balancing act that defines our college careers. Picking classes is an art form. They must display enough early pizzazz to ensure that you will be kept awake and interested throughout the long semester; they should be taught by a professor who entertains or inspires you in one way or another; ideally, classes satisfy a curriculum or concentration requirement; and, of course, they must fit with practice.

During this time of year – Shopping Week, when students get to go to as many classes as they want (and get there as late as they please!) in order to decide which they want to enroll in – the locker room at Blodgett is abuzz with conversations about fun and funky classes. Some notables from this past week: Scandinavian 102: Trolls; Folklore and Mythology 90i: Fairy Tales; and Romance Studies 109: The Global Game: Soccer, Politics and Popular Culture. As a History of Science concentrator, my personal agenda for the spring includes History of Science 176: Brainwashing.

Naturally, these classes do not make up the majority of our course loads, but rather act as intriguing interludes to classes that might be less flavorful and more closely related to graduation. For example, Trolls might be balanced with Government 1093: Ethics, Biotechnology, and the Future of Human Nature. In the back of our minds looms that inescapable date that marks our departure from this industrious and marvelous world into the larger one around us.

An experienced HWSD member knows that balance is the key to success at Harvard. If a course load is too light for one semester, the next will necessarily be too heavy; if class work overwhelms important time for things like sleeping and stocking up on carbohydrates, performance in the pool immediately suffers. At the same time, homework and assignments must be completed somehow. HWSD members are renowned for finding ingenious scraps of time during their busy days for polishing off problem sets and for finishing off epic readings of Homeric length in record time.

Those who look into the life of an HWSD member or, indeed, any college athlete understandably wonder what drives us to wake up before the sun rises and commit twenty hours of our weekly lives to a sport that affords few tangible rewards outside of physical fitness. What I learn in the pool every day, sometimes twice a day, is as essential to my growth as a student, person and citizen as the things I write down in class. With HWSD, you learn the sheer power of being a team. You begin to comprehend the true value of determination, perseverance, fortitude, willpower. Finally, you discover how to control, manage and maintain the balancing act that is life, a lesson that resonates within the bounds of college experience and beyond them.

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