Personal Narrative: My High School Swim Team

Heywood Broun said, “Sports do not build character. They reveal it.” Consequently, I believe that being on my high school swim team was the one of the biggest revelations of my character. When I entered high school, I had to play a sport because it was my mom’s rule, “you will participate in minimally one sport”. As a result, my brother played football, ran track, and swam. My eldest sister played volleyball and swam and my other sister was a swimmer. Therefore, my choice was easy, swim. I initially joined the swim team in order to maintain the Mitchell legacy of Shadow Ridge High School swimmers. While my siblings' participation was a big factor in my decision, I also thought it would be a great way to meet new friends, get in shape and have fun. At the time, this was the extent of what I believed swim would do for me, but as I finished, my fourth year on this team, it was very evident that swimming had done significantly more. Being in sports has resulted in designating my education as a top priority. My coach always says, “You are a student first and an athlete second.” Embodying this expectation has become …show more content…
In sports, you do not choose your team. You have to work together despite your difference. Therefore, when my team voted me as a captain consecutively for two years I could not be happier to fulfill the job. While I loved being captain, it has provided its stresses. From making sure everyone arrives on time at his or her event, to organizing team bonding, it is an exasperating job. The hardest part of being a captain was getting everyone to listen and simultaneously have fun. I have seen by being at ease but on task, understanding but fair, and comforting but honest has hidden these obstacles and made it all worthwhile. All of these aspects of a team I experienced in family. I learned to better communicate and relate to m All of these aspects of a team I experienced in family. I learned to better communicate and relate to my