The short answer is that swimming has given me so many positive things throughout my life. It just seems right to try to balance the scales a little and try to give some positive things back.
Where I came from…
I was very fortunate growing up in the sport here in Minnesota regarding coaches. I had a club coach who taught me swimming is a complicated puzzle. It requires focus and the ability to look at it from different perspectives to even begin to solve it. He gave me curiosity.
I had a high school coach that taught me that my team is my family and as you become one of the older ones, it’s your role to look after them all. He also taught me I’m capable of more than I think I am. He gave me leadership, compassion, and toughness.
I had a college coach who found joy spending each day at the pool with his team. He taught me that you need to love what you do and do what you love. It really is the secret to living a happy and fulfilling life. He gave me the ultimate perspective.
Giving back…
Now that you know what I was blessed to receive from swimming, you can get a sense of what I want to give back. I want to share stories that inspire curiosity. Stories that teach leadership, compassion, and toughness. Stories that remind you of the ultimate perspective.
Not just any stories though. I want stories that are about the swimmers in Minnesota – or better yet, told by the swimmers in Minnesota. I want to broadcast them to everyone so we can celebrate, learn, and connect.
That’s my way of giving back.
What you can do…
Take a little bit of time to follow, share, and have fun with it all. Find what the swimming Vibe is for you, embrace it and be a little bold and share it. You are all part of something bigger whether you realize it or not.