Every morning I wake up at 7 a.m. in order to get ready for morning swim practice at Lake Lytal Lightning swim club. I swim for an hour and 30 minutes, then four hours later, I prepare for another hour and 30 minutes of swimming at afternoon practice. I swim four days a week for 12 hours total in addition to regularly attending the gym. I swim until the water around me is no longer cold: I lose track of how many laps I’ve done and my flip turns become sloppy. I refocus and tough out another eight laps of my best attempt at perfect form. All this work has a purpose: achieving my goal of record times in all of my swim events this season.

Club swimming guarantees that I don’t fall behind over the lazy summer and ensures that I continually improve. Rather than training intensely in a couple of weeks before the beginning of the school year, I have the entire summer to become properly conditioned, to focus on my technique and to set new records for myself. By swimming a total distance of 6,000 yards for three hours a day, I increase my endurance and stamina. These skills are key in meets when I attempt the 500-meter swim (20 laps). All this practice is needed in order to achieve my goal of going to the state and regional competitions.

Club swimming not only conditions my body, but also my brain. Swimming over the summer gives me an idea of how I’ll perform during high school swimming and allows me to focus on what I might need to improve on, such as diving and flip turns. At Lake Lytal Lightning, I have the opportunity to compete and interact with my competition. I can see their times and if they’ve made new personal bests, which also influences the goals I set. I use critical thinking skills to figure out and keep an eye on the biggest competition.

Summer training in general is crucial in making sure I don’t fall behind during high school season. I learned how to get ahead of the competition and ready myself mentally. Training at Lake Lytal Lighting promises that I can meet my goals of personal bests.