USU club swim team powered by passion
It’s 6:30 a.m. Monday morning.
Most college students are still sound asleep in their beds, but the Utah State University swim team is already up and swimming.
When the whistle sounds, the water surface erupts as the swimmers begin another workout set. Methodically, arms and legs appear and disappear under the cool lap-pool water. Above the surface of the water it is loud and chaotic; beneath the surface there is nothing but the muffled sounds of splashes and silence.
According to the swimmers, what drags them out of their warm beds so early in the morning is the love of the sport.
“I love swimming for a lot of reasons: It’s fun, it pushes me, it’s great exercise, I can do it with a group or alone, and I’m good at it,” said Wes Constandse, the swim club president and captain. “My favorite reason is that I love being in the water. Whether I’m swimming in a pool or swimming in the ocean, I love the feeling of being weightless. When I’m underwater, even if it’s just for a few seconds, I’m gliding — it almost feels like I’m flying.”
Constandse, an Oregon native, is a senior majoring in secondary education with a social studies composite. He swam and played water polo in California for the University of Redlands, but decided to transfer to Utah State. He joined the USU swim team two-and-a-half years ago.
“The nice thing about swim team that I like is it’s a fun and laid back atmosphere,” he said. “It’s not as intense or as crazy as high school, so people don’t have to worry about the intensity of a coach yelling at you for an hour and a half.”
USU hasn’t always had a swim team. JP Parrish, swim team head coach, helped organize the club after the water polo team dissolved in fall 2009.
“More and more people were asking if we had a swim team,” said Scott Wamsley, the director of Club Sports.
Wamsley said swimming has become a more popular sport among prep athletes compared to previous years.
“Students are looking for that when they come to college,” said Kevin Kobe, USU’s Campus Recreation director. “Until JP got the swim team going, they didn’t have an outlet for swimming other than lap swimming.”
Parrish, who is also the systems administrator and event coordinator for Campus Recreation, said he has five years’ experience coaching various age groups.
“He volunteers his time and receives no compensation for it, as do several of our club coaches, and they do it because they love the sport — whether its rodeo, soccer or lacrosse,” Wamsley said. “JP is a person who loves swimming and has a passion for it.”
The USU swim team is one of 13 club sports under Campus Recreation. Students pay $55 and non-students pay $75 each semester. The team operates under the U.S. Masters Swimming organization, and each swimmer must have a membership for this national affiliate. This makes them eligible to swim at USMS sanctioned meets.
“Masters allowed flexibility. Our team not only gets to compete, but experiences lifelong fitness,” Parrish said. “For example, sometimes our swimmers get their ribbons taken away from them by a 50-year-old man. It helps us appeal to people who are not just competitive, but to those who just want to be in good shape.”
USMS is for people 18 and older. Parrish said there was a 94-year-old swimmer at last year’s national championship meet. With 45 members and 25 consistent swimmers, the swim team is not comprised of only college students. Two USU professors are also regulars at early morning practices.
“That’s one of the nice things with the way we have it set up. We focus on an atmosphere that swimmers can come and be competitive or just to swim,” Parrish said.
Parrish and Constandse both agreed that swimming is a sport that leaves it up to the individual to decide what level of intensity to swim at.
“The main purpose is to provide a place where people can exercise and have fun and still accomplish the goals they have,” Constandse said. “Whether it’s the thrill of competing like it is for me — I love just going out and racing — or just staying in shape.”
Last year, 13 USU swimmers competed against 2000 other swimmers at nationals in Arizona. This year nationals will be held April 26-29 in Greensboro, N.C. However, because of funding, eight swimmers will attend: the fastest four women and four men who have qualified in the most events.
“It’s all about getting active — providing each person with what they need and what their goals are,” Parrish said. “Of course there is a competitive focus, and we are really working hard to get swimmers to nationals.”
September 2011, the swim club held a Slip ‘N Slide fundraiser down Old Main Hill. The money generated went to the team fund to pay for meets. Ultimately, most of the money raised pays for travel expenses to nationals. Individuals then pay the difference.
“There are no scholarships for our athletes,” Parrish said. He estimated cost between $700 and $800 for each swimmer to travel to nationals, not including food.
Before nationals, the team is gearing up for its next meet Feb. 18 in Salt Lake City. This meet is one of the last chances to qualify for nationals. Swimmers must have a qualifying time in an event to compete. Times vary for each age group.
“I’m confident there are quite a few swimmers who will qualify,” Parrish said. “But it is all about what goals they set and what drives them to the pool every morning to prepare.”
– kristi.j.lambert@aggiemail.usu.edu