My family is from Plainfield, New Jersey. During the summer we would frequent the public pools in our community. For as long as I could remember I have always loved the water. As a child, I would often jump in the water with no resistance or fear, and would have to be rescued by a family member. These near drowning experiences never place fear into my heart because I would immediately return to the water. In middle school, I decided to join the swim team. After all the years I spent jumping in the pool with no inhibitions, I had never learned how to swim. I spent a good portion of the swim season learning the basics: breathing under water, breathing techniques, kicking and proper stroking. By mid season my coaches were confident enough in my swimming abilities for me to swim in the 25 meter races. And by this time I recognized swimming lack it’s original zing, as an organized sport. By ninth grade I …show more content…
was over the demand of swim practice and decided to join other organized school activities. As children my mother placed my older sisters in swimming lessons.
I can remember being anxious to hop in the pool anytime we picked them up after class, but the fear of punishment kept me out of the pool and dry. My father was a lifeguard throughout his high school career. A few of my cousins spent their high school summers as lifeguards as well. My grandparents who are from the south never learned how to swim. In the past when I had asked my grandmother why she didn’t swim, she simply told me, “I just never had an interest in learning”.
These articles contributed to my understanding of why Howard University has a swim requirement because it puts the problem of lacking African American presence in the swimming community. The stories of pool segregation and mutilation in the segregation era bring light to the issue of the insufficient swimming skills in the African American community. By enforcing a swim requirement, Howard University can help can swim demographics by ensuring that at least the students who matriculate through this university will know how to
swim. From the articles I learned many HBCU swim programs have been defunct. This fact surprised me because swimming is such a popular Olympic sport, yet Howard is the only HBCU with a swimming program. The fact that Howard University is the only HBCU with a swim program also surprised me. When I came to Howard as a freshman, upperclassmen put emphasis on the importance of completing a swimming course at Howard to fulfill the graduation requirement, I automatically assumed all HBCU’s had swim programs. Another surprising fact and something I learned from the article is not many African American students have an interest in swimming or are afraid of the water. Seeing that I always loved the water and took an interest in anything aquatic related, I automatically assumed other students in our communities shared the same interest. In my community, the pools are full every summer yet, according to the articles most children are just enjoying the coolness of the water and not actually swimming. My goal for this class is to improve my swimming technique. Since I have not swum in years, my endurance and stroke coordination is very rusty. Also, during my time in this course I would like to learn how to tread water, something I never mastered while on the swim team.
In conclusion, the decrease in participation towards swimming runs deep within Wavell State High and society due to the different upbringing of most cultures within the school, and with the low self confidence of most students and their self image, it only adds on to the increase of the decrease in participation rates. However if, as stated, a culture was created within the school and society through the establishment of an excellence program for swimming and the addition of a small portion of fixer uppers there would be, in my belief, an increase in participation rate for swimming in between different cultures and both HPE classes and Swimming Carnival.
I have been swimming year-round on a club team since the age of six and when I was younger improving came relatively easily. However, around age 13, I hit a training plateau despite having the same work ethic and focus that I had previously had. I grew to despise swimming and at points I wanted to quit. However, unlike Junior, I had role models and mentors who were positive influences on me and who helped me to overcome this challenge. Primarily, I had several of my best friends on the team who convinced me to keep persevering and to not simply quit the sport that I loved so much just because I was no longer dropping time. For example, every day I watch my close friends Lizanne and Cate come to practice and give it their all, regardless of the numerous injuries and medical issues that plagued their swimming career; their positive outlook and dedication motivated me to try even harder than I had before. Moreover, I had by parents, something that Junior did not have; my parents were always there to support me after yet another disappointing meet reminding me that “you get five minutes for a win and five minutes for a lost”. My parents where my voice of reason as I tried to work through my issues; they were always there to encourage me, but also were very honest with me
Major collegiate athletics programs are able to generate millions of dollars for their institutions, but are not able to show any evidence of successfully graduating their black male athletes that contribute to their success in generating those millions of dollars. These universities in turn, are failing these student athletes whom were promised that they would nurture them intellectually as well as athletically. A four year report published by the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education presents statistics that shows that the six major sports conferences in the NCAA (ACC, Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, SEC, Pac 12) have weak graduation rates for male African American Student athletes. Jessica Anderson of the associated press wrote an article titled, Black Athletes' Graduation Rates Weak where she used evidence from the University of Pennsylvania’s study as well as information from The Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education to present findings that showed that only about, “50.2 percent of African-American male student-athletes graduated within six years and that 96.1 percent of the schools graduated African-American male student-athletes at rates lower than student-athletes overall” (Anderson). Yet, the evidence that African American male student athletes are struggling to graduate as compared to their white counterparts does not simply stop there. In fact, Shaun Harper the executive director of the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education at the University of Pennsylvania reports that, “50.2 percent of black male athletes graduate within six years from colleges compared with 67 percent of athletes over all, 73 percent of undergraduates, and 56 percent of black undergraduate men” (Harper)....
It is often forgotten that these members are students first and athletes second. Delving deeper into this very controversial matter are the race and gender issues that come into play. The most affected minority group affected by these stipulations is the African American. While struggling through the ongoing prejudice and discrimination that still exists today, African American athletes are still expected to follow the same guidelines as every other student that participates in college athletics. By investigating the trends from the past years of African American athletes beginning with their entrance into college throughout their athletic and academic careers and then afterward, you can see that although great leaps have taken place for this minority, it is still difficult for them to measure up for many reasons....
The first practice was at 5 a.m. and the night before I couldn't sleep. My mind would keep wondering what would happen, was I supposed to be wearing my bathing suit, what were my teammates going to be like. When it came time to go to practice I was shaking the whole way. Soon after I learned that my fears should have not been focused on such silly things now. If anything swim really helped me face them head on. With so much change going with swim I got used to this fear. My family and friends were also a great succor. Even though they probably didn't know that it was helping me. I'm very grateful to my father supporting anything I wanted to
The third chapter stands out in that they provide a framework for the current issue in college athletics. It provides reference to the duality that black athletes must face while at college. They are not only seen as another student-athlete, but also as a black individual. There are certain stereotypes attached to that given label, which make it hard for black athletes to connect with the rest ...
Swimming is often referred to as an individual sport. In competition you are given a lane, a heat, and you compete for your time. Answer one question then, to prove its nature of individuality, at the seven hundred meter mark of the gruesome fifteen hundred, when the lactic acid has built up, and your body feels like failing, what pushes you beyond a point you have never reached before? The drowned out sounds of a team cheering, or seeing a friend charge through crowds flailing their arms through the air, is all I need to keep going and represent my team in a race to the finish. In addition to cheering during races, it is important to have the encouragement of your teammates all the time at practice, at school and, even in more personal matters. A team gives you a sense of belonging or a sense of discouragement that keeps you from your true potential. A community of a team extends much past the athletes, to the parents, as well. A team in which everyone is recognized for what they do/ can do compared to a special “elite” group of swimmers leads to a new level of pride and confidence for the younger athletes. Lastly, the philosophy of the coach is a critical component to the success of an athlete. One may believe in narrowing in on the naturally talented and the other coach strives to train each individual to maximum potential. I have been a part of two very different swim clubs in my development as an athlete, both of which helped me become my personal best, and who I am today in and out of the water. Although both the Ajax Aquatic Club and the Whitby Dolphins helped me develop my talents, abilities and, confidence, it is through the Whitby Dolphins that I recognize the need for strong interpersonal relationships with teammates, t...
As a competitive swimmer, I train 19 hours a week as a member of the University of Manitoba Bison’s Men’s Swim Team. However, growing up, I was never a great swimmer. I just didn’t have the classic swimmer body type—tall, long limbs with big hands and feet—but I loved the sport. Looking back, I can imagine how my parents felt. Their short, scrawny kid desperately wanted to be in a sport that he wasn’t meant for.
The sport of swimming began changing my life at age four. I won every time I touched the water, but I was unaware of my true talent.
I was being held under with no idea when I may get up, getting tumbled and dragged along the ocean floor. Each chance I pop up and gasp for another breath of air another wave crashes on me causing me to choke on the salt from the ocean. This has been my experience in high school, and once I am graduated it will feel like I can finally catch my breath and ride that first wave.
One balmy summer morning my friends convinced me to come swim in Grapevine Lake, which would be very enticing if I was a strong swimmer or had any swimming experience whatsoever. However, I’m not going to ruin a good, scorching summer day staying home wasting my time playing video
Have you ever had a moment in time that seems like minutes or hours even though it was only a few seconds? Have you ever seen everything before you play out in slow motion, where you are aware of everything around you, yet not knowing what was going on? I have, and as I look back on it, I feel very blessed and protected. On December 22, 01, I decided to take a little swim in our swimming pool and almost drowned. I still can remember it like yesterday. This incident almost cost me my life,
All throughout my life I have been asked this loaded question; “What do you want to be when you grow up?” At five, like any young girl, I wanted to be a princess. When I was ten I wanted to live on a beach and become a marine biologist. A few years ago, I dreamed of being an anesthesiologist. Now, at seventeen years old, I aspire to become a successful pharmacist.
Have you ever had a moment in time that seems like minutes or hours even though it was only a few seconds? Have you ever seen everything before you play out in slow motion, where you are aware of everything around you, yet not knowing what was going on? I have, and as I look back on it, I feel very blessed and protected. On March 21, 1987, I decided to take a little swim in our swimming pool and almost drowned.
Did you know that, from 2005-2014, there was an average of 3,536 lethal accidental drownings annually in the United States? That’s about 10 deaths per day! Imagine, almost drowning in a lake that is 250 feet deep. It happened to me, and let me tell you it was absolutely petrifying. This summer, I went on a family vacation with my mother, father, and two sisters, but things didn’t go as planned.