Via Swimming World Magazine
By Emily Thirion, Swimming World College Intern
December 3, 2018
Helping someone navigate the trials and tribulations you have already overcome increases empathy between teammates. This can foster a healthy team environment and culture from the top down.
Though many see swimming as an individual sport, training and competition do not exist in a vacuum. While everyone loves to see a best time on the scoreboard or to have the experience of standing on top of the podium, the best memories we have of the sport are those shared with others.
Some of the most meaningful moments that have come out of my swimming career were when an older swimmer took the time to cheer for me at a big meet or encourage me when I was having a rough set. As I enter my final year of swimming, the most rewarding thing I do on a daily basis is being that support system for the younger members on our team’s roster.
As swimmers progress through the different levels of the sport, we spend years looking up to the greats like Katie Ledecky or Michael Phelps, but in actuality, the people who routinely impact us the most are those who we spend day after day training with in our home pool.
Peer mentorship is arguably the most important contribution any one swimmer can make to their team. Here are some reasons why peer mentorship is so valuable.
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