|
Please
read "Letter to Team"
The team
motto is:
Character First
The team philosophy could not
be better characterized than by a recent (Oct. 3, 2009)
high school essay written by fifteen year old Kelly Noah
of OA (see below).
More
Than a Pool, More Than a Team
The time is 5:30 a.m. as the stars gleam overhead on a blustery
Tuesday morning. Laughter and quiet chatter from my teammates
entwines with the patter of rain splattering on the pool deck. I
help to uncover the pool and then hustle into the locker room with
my teammates where we change into our swimsuits and then quickly
head back out. Although it’s never easy to get up to go swim
when the stars are out and the sun is still sleeping, we honor
perseverance. Commitment and dedication are imperative qualities
that we strive to live by in order to strengthen our team’s
unparallel bond with one another. Icy rain pours from the gloomy
clouds above. We gather in a circle where everyone listens intently
and respectfully to our coach, Donnie, as he describes the workout
over the roar of the rain, and reminds us to be “above the
weather.” The team dives in the pool for warm up and when we
finish we quickly hop out again to hear Donnie explain the next
set.
This is going to be my third year swimming for Orinda
Aquatics, a year-round swim team that’s soul purpose is to
continue a tradition of team unity and impeccable character. We
constantly push our physical and mental limits during workouts and
races and we approach swimming with a positive thirst for
challenges. Like many sports teams, we persistently encourage each
other to never give up. Because our team spends the majority of our
time working out at the pool together, we share an incredible sense
of family. When I first started Orinda Aquatics, my coach told me
that I would develop long-lasting relationships with my teammates.
I didn’t realize just how right he was until I came back from
a long break. The first day back absolutely vibrated with energy as
we excitedly greeted everyone with hugs and smiles. Three weeks of
vacation had felt more like three months apart from each other. I
am filled with a sense of ease knowing that I have a security net
of friends to rely on.
I don’t believe that Orinda Aquatics would be the
same team that it is today if it weren’t for our staunch
coaches. In today’s world, people who are completely driven
by helping other people are hard to come by. Our coaches come to
workout with the goal of improving everyone’s stroke by the
end of practice. They remind us to keep the “big
picture” in mind so that we see beyond minor setbacks and
learn from mistakes. I have immense respect for all of them, but at
the same time I am very comfortable to talk to them about school,
piano, or personal problems. They have taught me to keep swimming
in balance with the rest of my life. I am grateful to them beyond
words for being dedicated coaches, role models, and
friends.
A swim team may have the fastest times in the country, but
that team will never be the greatest until it has the best
character in the country. Integrity is the core of every
team’s foundation. The people who have made the greatest
impact on me aren’t necessarily the fastest swimmers in the
pool.
People always ask me why I swim year-round. They ask me
how I make myself get up for morning practices and how I endure the
intense workouts. My answer is pretty simple. I love swimming. I
love the life lessons that the sport teaches me. Practices relieve
my stress by keeping my mind focused on the here and now. I feel
proud of my physical and mental strength when I work through
difficult sets. But more importantly, I swim year-round because of
my team. My teammates are some of my closest friends. We have
coaches that are like father figures because of how much they care
for us inside and outside of the pool. The environment is always
positive and geared towards “putting character first,”
as our team motto says. I’m sure that Orinda Aquatics will be
the best group of people that I will ever have the chance to be a
part of.
Quotes/Themes:
"It is good to have an end to
journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the
end." Le guin
“Character is
doing what’s right when nobody’s
looking.” J.C. Watts
“The whole is
the sum of the parts, so be a good part.” Nate
McConnell
“My life is
my message.” Gandhi
“A person with passion is
better than forty who are merely interested.”Tom
Connellan
“The
happiness of your life depends on the quality of your
thoughts.” Marcus
Antonius
“The
pessimist complains about the wind,
The optimist
expects it to change,
The realist adjusts
the sails.”
William
Ward
“Nothing
splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe
that something inside them was superior to
circumstance.” Bruce
Barton
“How exciting
are your dreams? Most people don’t aim high and miss –
the aim low and hit.” Bob Moawad
“I
don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know;
the only ones among you who will truly be happy are those who will
have sought and found how to serve.” Albert
Schweitzer
“When he took the time to help the man
up the mountain, lo, he scaled it
himself.”
Joe Unruh- Temporary
Acceptance of Mediocre Performance … (a life
lesson)
I recently had the privilege of attending
the
Annapolis
graduation of Joe Unruh, a former
Orinda Aquatics swimmer. It was humbling to be in the
presence of such sincere, committed, and patriotic young men, and
to hear the commencement address from the President of the Unites
States.
After the ceremony, Joe’s family
hosted a luncheon for his friends and family. At the end of the lunch, Joe
stood up and thanked everyone for their support and then proceeded
to thank me individually. I certainly did not want a thank
you and I assumed it would be for a successful swimming
career. Although he
won
North
Coast
in two events, he didn’t mention
swimming. He said that many years ago I gave him a quote,
“Temporary acceptance of mediocre performance leads to
permanent acceptance of poor performance,” i.e., accepting
mediocrity will only yield a life of underachievement. I do remember giving it to the
team and it is actually still posted in the glass case. He said that he took it with him
when he went to the academy and was drawn to it each time he felt
down or overwhelmed.
He said it helped him focus on not giving in or letting down. He shared it with a friend
who was struggling and he said it made a big impact. He said it soon became the entire
Company’s quote and mantra. I was taken back that what Joe
took from a lifetime of swimming was one quote, and one (I am sure
of many) life lesson.
It was another very real example of this life changing process and
a reflection on the message missed by so many parents and swimmers
in search of the next best time.
|
