5:16 p.m. – I am back in the Conroe ISD Natatorium in Shenandoah, Texas for the final time this week and perhaps the final time in my life. This four-day event – this grind of a meet – comes to a close tonight. It’s all coming to an end and it has finally hit me. Coach Carlson, coach Weyandt, and I walked through the parking lot in the rain together for the last time. I am sitting in the media room beginning my evening blog for the last time. In less than an hour I will watch members of the Gustavus swimming and diving team swim for the last time this season. I will shoot video, provide updates on results, and conduct interviews. All this will be for the last time. All good things must come to an end and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The team held its final meeting before departing for the pool in Hayley and Michelle’s room. Fair warning, this is going to get a little emotional. I forgot my notes from the meeting in the hotel room so I’m going to need to add those to the blog later. Because of this, I can only report on what I said in the meeting.
As the team is in the warmup pool through a pane of glass and across a pool deck behind my right shoulder, I reflect on what was my last chance to address the team:
Thank you to coach Carlson for allowing me to come on this trip. Thanks to coach Lindstrom and coach Weyandt for putting up with me all week. If you aren’t aware, most of the swimming content that has filled this blog was provided by them. They are probably sick of me asking, “How did that go?” “Where did we finish?” and “How did she swim?” They have provided me with so much insight into this sport that without them, I have little to nothing to write about and would know even less than I already do.
Katie Olson matched her own school-record in the 100 free in what was her last career individual swim.
Thank you to the seven Gusties (the goofy bunch seen above in the banner) who have allowed me to enter their lives and enjoy this experience alongside them. The purpose of this blog is to give fans – or any audience for that matter – a look at what it’s like to compete at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. Without their cooperation, this wouldn’t have been possible. And finally, thank you to the three seniors on this team; Dani Klunk, Jenny Strom, and Katie Olson. You are fine young women and I thank you for coming to Gustavus. Thank your parents for sending you to Gustavus. Gustavus and the swimming and diving program are better because you are a part of them.
When I reflect on what it takes to make it through a season such as this, I kept coming back to love. Whether they know it or not, love for both their teammates and the sport has driven these swimmers to school records, gold medals, conference championships, and All-America honors. You don’t jump in to a freezing cold pool at 6:00 a.m. and swim back and forth hundreds of times because you like it; you do it because you love it. You do it because you love the people you’re doing it with.
Tonight we will watch Katie Olson and Jenny Strom finish their collegiate careers. We will then witness the 400-free relay team attempt to put Gustavus inside the top 10 in the nation. Yeah, that’s correct, IN THE NATION! According to the research done by the coaching staff, this team’s goal of a top 10 finish will likely come down to the 400-free relay. Pressure is a privelage for the Gustavus swimming and diving team.
I will be giving out many more thanks before this night is through, but the above was a good start. I will report back after Katie’s swim and periodically after that. Good hunting Gusties!
Below are the live links for tonight. Stay tuned…
6:12 p.m. – As the 1,650 free kicks off the night’s events, I have time for a couple of observations. I have discovered who the mystery swim cap belongs to and it is Grove City College out of Grove City, Pennsylvania. The Wolverines rock the red and white winged swim cap. Nice work Sherlock.
The second observation relates to coaching attire. As I walk around the deck this evening, I’ve noticed a lot of coaches have stepped up their wardrobe game. Those in khaki shorts and polos have progressed to dress slacks and collared shirts. The Gustavus coaches have been consistent in their attire, and the NYU staff has looked as if they are attending a wedding all week, so I’m confused by the sudden change. Post-meet team pictures maybe? I don’t know, just an observation.
Jenny Strom capped her Gustavus career with a tenth place finish in the 200 breaststroke.
7:06 p.m. – What a race by Katie Olson. In what was the last individual swim of her collegiate career, the soft spoken native of North Oaks, Minnesota finished fifth in her heat to place 13th in the nation with a time of 51.19. Katie’s time this evning matched her personal-best, which is also the school record! She first recorded a 51.19 at this same meet nearly a year ago today in Indianapolis. The coaching staff was ecstatic about Olson’s performance, and her teammates are all smiles after such an inspiring swim.
The Gusties are off to a good start!
7:49 p.m. – Katie Olson set the tone and Jenny Strom followed suit! Strom just swam 2:18.44 to finish second in her heat and 10th in the nation in the 200 breaststroke!! It was Jenny’s best race of the meet and a great way to finish out her illustrious Gustavus career.
What I write now is breaking news that sets up what will be a compelling finish here at the Conroe Natatorium. Thanks to Katie and Jenny’s performances, the Gusties are now in striking distance of a top ten standing. To keep it simple, if Gustavus can beat Bates in the 400-free relay, the Gusties should secure a tenth place standing. If Chicago wins the relay and both Gustavus and Bates swim poorly, then Chicago could move into the top 10. High drama poolside in Shenandoah!
PRESSURE IS A PRIVILEGE!
9:09 p.m. – Pressure is certainly a privilege for the Gustavus women’s swimming and diving team. With a place in the top ten on the line, Gustavus pulls through with its best swim of the meet. The 400-relay won its heat and finished ninth overall to put Gustavus in 10th place at the NCAA Championships!
This is a quick hitter because the team is waiting for me outside Conroe. More details to come later.
1:43 a.m. – I am back at the blog for the last time. Coach Carlson is across from me sleeping upright in his chair with his computer on his lap. This has become a standard sleeping position throughout the week. I just finished my formal recap of tonight’s performance. It can be seen here below. I am having some issues getting the videos to embed within the story because of the network here and will get that sorted out back in Minnesota. For now, the links will bring you to each video.
What a night for Gustavus swimming and diving. Katie Olson kicked off the night with an inspiring swim in the 100 free, Jenny Strom kept the ball rolling with her best individual swim of the meet, and the 400-free relay capped things off with an almost magical effort. I stood on the blocks and filmed all three races so I was privileged to the action first hand.
Olson was characteristically calm and collected as she stepped onto the blocks. Nothing rattles this girl – absolutely nothing. She could be swimming against Missy Franklin and her demeanor wouldn’t change. She could swim the best race of her life or the worst race of her life and you would never know the difference from her body language. She is the epitome of a level-head athlete – not too high, not too low.
If I were to meet Jenny Strom in a dark alley and she looked like she does before a race, I would run the other way at the drop of a hat. Once again tonight she was focused and intense.
The 400-free relay also carried itself with a different presence this evening. The group was relaxed and knew what had to be done. Because I don’t have a chance to look up at the scoreboard during the race, I have to rely on reading the body language of the Gusties to tell how a race in unfolding. I got the sense during the evraceent that something special was going on. Kate Reilly was jacked when she got out of the water and I knew at that point that the Gusties had a shot. With Olson as the anchor, there should have been no doubt in my mind.
The rest is history. Gustavus concludes its 2014-15 season with a 10th place finish at the NCAA Championships. It is the fourth time in program history that the Gusties have cracked the top 10.
I said that I would go back to my notes from today’s meeting so I’ll take some time to do that now.
Carlson
– There is an opportunity to improve and a chance to crack the top ten. Check.
– Little things matter. Do the little things to help yourself improve. Check.
– Everyone has chipped in to make this experience a memorable one. Continue to support each other. Check.
Lindstrom
– Have fun. Check.
– Swimmers go fast when they are having fun. Check.
Weyandt
– Way to go so far, we are proud of you. Check.
The Gusties responded to the coaches tonight more than any other point of the week and it paid off.
Jenny Strom, Dani Klunk, and Hayley Booher hug after the meet.
After the meet the team, coaches, and I joined the parents of the Gusties who made the trip out for a late dinner. This has become a tradition at NCAA Championships and one I have been looking forward to since I got here. It was great to spend time with all of them as they showered me with more compliments than I probably deserve. I realize now that they are this blog’s key audience. It’s crazy to think about how many hours they have spent in sweaty pools watching their daughters compete. The parents are the true stars of this meet because without their support from the beginning of these girls’ careers to where we are now, none of this would have been possible. Thank you, parents, for all the love and support, and thank you for sending your daughters to Gustavus.
As I sit here and look back at this experience, I keep going back to love. In my opinion, love drove these women to a 10th place finish in the nation. Katie Olson loves being put in pressure situations, Jenny Strom loves racing, the coaches love their athletes, and the parents love their daughters. There was a lot of love on the pool deck this week and I couldn’t stop myself from being wrapped up in the emotion of it all. I love these student-athletes, these coaches, these parents, and Gustavus. In the end, love shines through.
In my job, I am supposed to stay as neutral and unbiased as I can. Easier said than done during trips such as this. I was a complete mess and a bottle of nerves before each session today. I did everything I could to stay busy and relax but that just wasn’t going to happen. I wanted to see these girls succeed from the bottom of my heart. I don’t know how some of these coaches do it year in and year out because my two NCAA Championships experiences have been emotional roller coasters.
As I close tonight’s blog I’d like to say a few more thanks.
Thank you to all those who sent messages of support throughout week.
Thank you to my boss, mentor, and true friend, Tim Kennedy, for allowing my the opportunity to once again make this journey.
Thank you to the city of Shenandoah for putting on such an amazing show.
Thank you to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference for being such great media hosts and running such a great meet.
This has been an emotional, nerve-racking, gut-wreniching, fun trip and I’m am blessed to have been a part of it.
Thank you, Gusties, for smiling. The team has smiled since it got here and tonight they have extra reason to.
And finally, thank you Gustavus.
I’m tired so I’m going to sign off. Good night and good luck everyone.
GO GUSTIES!
Great blog this week Ethan. I felt like we were there with you.
You were obviously tired, because I couldn’t have said it better myself. Go Gusites ??
Go Gusties.
Thank you, Ethan for all your hard work this weekend archiving every moment of this wonderful event! We appreciate you putting the memories to paper!
Awesome ! Dittos GO GUSTIES! Good Job by the Entire Team and Program. We are Proud of you !
Very fun to read this and to follow along last week! It brings back good memories of swimming the 800 free relay with Nate Liddle, Chris Kramer, and Sam Wigersma at my only trip to Nationals in Buffalo,NY in 2001. (a long time ago, I know). Nice job Gustie Women! What an amazing group of very fast women. Keep the dynasty going!