Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Swimming and Diving Blog - Laura Twichell
11/23/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Nov. 23, 2009
A wise coach once said, simply, "It's all about the process." Well, actually, he's my coach, and he says it all the time. Now that I'm in my third year as a Bison, I think I might finally understand what `the process' is really all about. Sure, the process is training; it's swimming in dual meets and invitationals; and it's focusing on the task at hand while keeping a wide eye on the big picture. But the process involves much more than that. It is ultimately the melding of the individuals on a team into a cohesive unit with a common goal, working together towards that goal, and picking each other up when someone's falling along the way.
The past five weeks have been a major part of our process, and the upcoming weeks will play no less a part. We have now had four straight weekends of competition, winning five of our six dual meets and competing in an intense three-session invitational. However, just because we had a string of meets doesn't mean we were taking it easy in practice. The hours we have put into practice, lifting, and dry-land in the past five weeks have been some of the hardest I've experienced while here at Bucknell. But the team has persevered and pushed each other through each and every yard, and I know we will continue to do so in the upcoming months.
However, pushing each other in the pool is not enough to guarantee success. To be successful in `the process', we have to be a team not just when we're at practice or competing in a meet, but in every aspect outside the pool as well. We study together, eat together, and live together. We serve the community − from forming teams for the AIDS walk, to putting together Thanksgiving baskets, or working at the local food bank downtown. We've had a talent show, done a ropes course, and co-hosted a triathlon. These parts of the process are vital. They are where our team really forms, bonding into one body rather than a bunch of individual parts.
I've learned a lot so far in my two-and-a-half years as a Bison, but most importantly I have been lucky enough to learn what it takes to truly be a team. Having kicked off the season with impressive results, I know my team will continue on through the process together and find great success at the end of our season.
