Of the many highlights in a team’s NCAA swimming season, a training trip undoubtedly stands out as one that tends to make or break the year.  

In the 3-4 weeks in between semesters, coaches balance out the lack of academic-related stress with incredibly physically demanding training. During these weeks, a team’s mental strength, physical ability, and trust among its members is tested. However, even in this tough environment, there are always moments to look back on and reminisce.

Wherever a team decides to practice, there is one common denominator: Training will be brutal.

The nature and structure of a training trip will vary from team to team. Some teams spend the entire time at their home pool. Some spend their entire time at a warmer location, and some teams will opt to train at home and then travel to save money. 

Wherever a team decides to practice, there is one common denominator: Training will be brutal. Swimmers are noticeably more fatigued in practice, have more difficulty recovering, and tend to be lower in spirits. 

But, wait! There is a silver lining

Despite the fact that practice makes up a significant portion of time during training trip, there are plenty of positive moments that outweigh the difficult ones.

These moments bring a team together and create a bond incapable of forming any other way.

As mentioned above, certain moments in training will define a team and show what kind of results it is capable of at the end of the season. Whether it’s a blazing-fast get-out swim, holding below pace on an unfathomable number of 50s, a 5,000-yard set, or a PR in the weight room, these moments bring a team together and create a bond incapable of forming any other way. 

Only your teammates will understand what you’ve all been through together and the kind of preparation you’ve made for the end of the year. As tough as these tasks are in the moment, they are monumentally rewarding. There is no better feeling than to succeed alongside teammates who will also help celebrate your successes.

Those who travel for their trip can attest that warmer weather and a more tropical setting certainly has its perks and makes the experience much more enjoyable. Some teams even will travel out of the country to emphasize this part of the experience. Other than the four winters you attend training trips with your teammates, there will likely not be another time in your life where you travel in a large group with a unified goal in mind.

By the time your conference meet or NCAAs come around, the hard work and moments you’ve accumulated with your teammates will prove crucial to your success.  

Those who excel in the spotlight in February and March are the ones who succeeded with their teammates on training trips in December and January. Despite the difficult practices that a training trip throws at you, the moments of success that follow far outweigh the pain and agony of grueling training.

By Connor McCourt