Ace Aquatics: The September Blues

Ace Aquatics Weekly Newsletter

The September Blues

By: Sam Ybarra

Everyone knows the feeling; sluggish, groggy, lethargic. Heck, Green Day even wrote a song about it. What am I referring to you may be wondering? September. For adults and children alike, the month is an absolute grind. The smooth rhythm of summer has screeched to a halt as hard work, persistence, and discipline return to the forefront of our day to day. As an athlete, September was a month of dread. I occasionally felt detached from my goals as the end of the season is seemingly worlds away.

Despite school starting, events occurring, and practice beginning all at the same time September remains one of the more important times in our Short Course season. It is one of the only times that we slowly progress through every stroke. It is paramount that time in the water is optimized, while also finding a great routine to find success in the classroom. Discipline in the classroom and on deck will allow freedom to participate in extracurriculars that interest athletes beyond swimming and school.

The kids that we coach are brilliant; they are abnormal in their logical justification of pursuing their dreams. They CAN achieve a 4.0 GPA, they CAN swim at a Junior National level, and they CAN be involved in things going on at their school. My attendance in the early parts of the season was lazy, primarily due to an ongoing battle between my laziness in school and my parents and coaches enforcing its importance. From a former student athlete who failed miserably at being disciplined, don’t allow the September blues to derail being the well-rounded young kids that you are.

Something that I will leave you with is a quote that Chris Webb reiterated to me constantly during these early months:

“We live in a society where mediocrity is often rewarded. We exist to detest mediocrity at every turn."

- David Goggins