Personal Narrative: The Art Of Quitting

Four a.m. Eyes are hazy. My cap and goggles hang loosely in my hands. Walking up to the board, my thoughts lingered, “Why?” Summer had just begun and what better way to celebrate the break than morning practice. The thought of quitting came as quickly as it went away, because I knew it was going to be worth it in the end.

Although swim season was four months away, as Captain, I felt obligated to lead by example, even when nobody is watching. To give my teammates my all would not have been enough without changing my mindset–to continue to push when the going gets tough. Through our team’s deep bond, I knew that my efforts would motivate others to do the same. Our collective understanding of “swimmer’s problems” pushed us to continue to improve
ourselves. Competing as a team, winning can only be achieved through everyone’s improvement. Leading the pack, I motivate those discouraged, as it would only be possible if we worked together. The extra mile is for the love of my team. Cap and goggles strapped on, I take the first splash in. At my last varsity season, we finally walked away with the championships.