With summer wrapping up, club sport athletes are pushing through their final weeks of training before jumping into the season. As a member of both the Field Hockey and Swim Team, I have been swimming, lifting, and following our field hockey workout packet throughout the summer. Our field hockey workout packet was sent out to the entire team and includes specific drills and conditioning sets for each week. However, swimming is an individual sport, which pushes us as athletes to really find a routine and sets that allows us personal growth as swimmers. Our URI Club Swim Team shares its personal methods and training program with Campus Rec for this summer. Each swimmer has specific workout plans, ranging from lifting routines, to long-distance swim sets to better endurance. As our team is gearing up to begin our fall season, I reached out to a few of my teammates to see how their summer training is going.  

Summer Training

Charley Cowenhoven, our team’s sophomore captain, shares the variety of swims and training methods she has completed this summer. When asked about her training, Charley mentions that she, along with another club swim teammate, Caterina Nicu, participated in a 15.5-mile open water swim! This event, Swim Across the Sound, is a fundraiser that raises money for the St. Vincent Medical Center in Connecticut. Charley and Cat completed this swim in relay form, swimming the sound for up to thirty minutes before switching off with another swimmer. The pair tells me that this swim provided them with motivation for the upcoming season, as it is always more fun to swim in a social setting than solo. Also, it was a great way for them to prepare themselves physically and better their endurance.

Other swimmers have taken different routes for their summer training. Senior Zack Capen also shares some of his personal training methods throughout the summer. He explains that along with lifting weights, he is working with his high school coach to create sets that will allow for personal growth in specific skill sets to really set him up for a successful senior season. Zack mentions that the most difficult part about summer training is the absence of teammates around to motivate you. While the team isn’t directly together over the summer, we really do hold each other accountable all year long. For example, Zack conveys that the bulk of his motivators behind his summer training stems from wanting to improve individually for the sake of the team, along with knowing that the team will reconnect in just a few weeks. Similarly, Charley notes that a large drive for her summer training has been fueled by the anticipation and excitement of rejoining with the team. 

The Club Sport Community

The best part of club sports is being surrounded by peers who have the same passions as you. Charley, this year’s captain, reflects on what inspired her to pursue a leadership position on the team. She explains that she has grown very close to the team, especially during our nationals trip to San Antonio, Texas last April. Charley relays, “I have swam all my life, and it was important to me that I continue through college. URI Club Swim has been the perfect fit. I’m continuing this upcoming year because I love the sport, but also the community. Without the team, I don’t think my love for swimming would have come back so strong.” Our swim team has a unique dynamic; we push each other, compete with each other, and enjoy each other’s company outside of the pool. The club sport program is much more than just showing up for practice and trying to win competitions. It is truly about getting students connected with each other and allowing for community building.

Perhaps the most important aspect of club sports is the camaraderie it provides for students. Personally, I had a difficult time transitioning into college and finding my place at URI. I was able to really connect with others and get involved through the club sport program. These teams have also allowed me to continue hobbies that I love while building genuine relationships. Both Zack and Charley highlight that a real motivator for them this summer has been the expectancy of reuniting with the team so soon. Zack and I have both been on the team for three years and have thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic of club swim. It is the people who make the team and allow for successes. We as teammates motivate each other by showing up to practice, completing sets together, and cheering each other on during competitions. It is because of each other that we complete these difficult and mundane training sets on our own so we can show up for each other as a team.