Swimming has been around since the dawn of human existence, literally.  It can be dated all the way back to the Stone Age when man would learn to swim to cross bodies of water.  Since then, however, it has evolved into one of the most popular sports on the planet.  This sport requires muscular endurance, perseverance, and a positive attitude.  The Campus Recreation Complex (CRC) is proud to introduce you to the June sport club of the month and back to back national champions, the swim club!

For many, swimming is considered a difficult activity, but for Jake Grant, swim club president, and his teammates, it is a lifestyle.

Q: When does your season take place and what is your typical schedule?

A: The Georgia Tech Swim Club season goes from the first week of school until April, when our national championship meet takes place. We practice four times a week, Monday through Thursday, from 7:30-9:00 PM at the McAuley Aquatic Center at the CRC. Additionally, many swimmers practice in the mornings or weekends for dryland, or for additional swimming, if they feel like it. Throughout the season, we compete at least three times a semester in meets ranging from our annual kickoff intrasquad meet, which is where we race one another just for fun and to get to know each other, to the national championship meet I mentioned earlier. In fact, the past two seasons, Georgia Tech has been crowned College Club Swimming national champions and have hosted the meet many times in the past. Our other meets take place at schools usually in the Southeast, be it against one team, like our annual home-and-home dual meet with Auburn, or many schools, like the Clemson and Florida State invitationals.

Q: Can you tell me about the Swim Club?

A: As far as the club itself, it's one of the larger sport clubs, with over 100 dues-paying members from all walks of life on campus. We have undergrad, masters, and Ph.D. students representing most majors on campus, and people involved in everything from SGA to Greek Life to research and the like. 

Q: What are some reasons for joining the Swim Club?

A: I think two things really define what it means to be in the Georgia Tech Swim Club: the culture and the sport. The two have to go hand-in-hand, really, and that's what makes the club so special. We kinda joke that everything is optional, but, that still rings true. We do what we do because we love it. There's a super low barrier to entry - just show up and be a part of it - but whether it's in the pool, like at practice, at meets around the country, or doing fun things like trivia nights and tailgates, Swim Club is about it all. It's super important to have work-life balance at Tech, and I think joining Swim Club has given me that. And, in the same sense, the club itself has a nice internal sport-social balance. It's more than just getting in and swimming laps. And it's not goofing around all the time, either. We won the national championship, after all. I think a good way to put it is that it's a bunch of passionate athletes who are also invested in each other. I joined the club because I love the sport, but I stayed because I love the people. 

Q: What advice do you have for people interested in swimming?

A: As for advice for people interested in the club, I'd say absolutely just do it. We take any and all comers. We had a kid last year swim at nationals who had never swum competitively before his sophomore year of college. We have national-caliber athletes. And everything in between. The swimming is great, and the family is better. So if you're thinking about it, by all means, we can't wait to see you around.

Q: As a member of the Swim Club, do you have a favorite memory or experience?

A: My favorite memory? That's almost unfair. It's so cliché to say this, but I literally have so many. From training trips to Florida, meets in fun other cities, our intramurals, meals together, going home and away sporting events...there's so many to count. But I think the single greatest memory is when it first dawned on me that "oh my, we could actually win this meet," the first year we won the national championship. I get pretty animated on the pool deck, what with my cowbell and such, and I don't think I've ever had more fun than being part of an exec board that hosted a national championship that we won, and that I got to swim in the meet. From top to bottom, everyone on the team, from the people that swam, timed, volunteered, and cheered, had such a huge part in pulling that weekend off, and they did it all to perfection, and we all had a lot of fun doing it. But, like I said, I rarely have a day when I'm not making more great memories with the team. Really has had a massive impact on my college experience, personally. 

Q: What was the greatest lesson you've learned from swimming that has helped you succeed in college?

A: The greatest lesson I've learned from swim that has helped me in college is mental toughness, I think. Swimming is a pretty thankless sport. Unless you're really good at having ten second long conversations in the middle of sets, it's a lot of time in your own thoughts, especially before college when things are super intense. You can have a race that feels great but swim a subpar time. You spend a lot of hours in a big chlorinated pool. But, the attitude of a swimmer - stick-to-it-ive-ness, perseverance - that has paid off dividends. Tech is not an easy place, in or out of the classroom. But whether it's doing one more homework problem, or writing a paper deep into the night, I'm thankful to have the grit to get things done. And, in a broader sense, it helped me stick with the sport, which I'm really thankful for, because it brought me to this team at this school, and I owe my best friends, best memories, and biggest athletic achievements to joining Swim Club in the first place.

Q: What athlete do you admire the most and why?

A: Javier Báez. Easy. For those that don't know, Javy Báez is an infielder for the Chicago Cubs. The man started with a dream - play major league baseball - from a young age. He had a tattoo of the MLB logo years before he was in the pros, that's for sure. And even when he got there, in all honesty, he was awful. He could hit for power and he was a slick fielder, but every swing, it was like he was trying to hit a five-run home run and so he struck out like 40% of the time or something crazy like that. But, thing is, he stuck with it, refined his approach, and didn't give up. Now, he's one of the best all-around hitters in baseball, stunning in the field, and one of the slickest base runners you'll ever see. Truly a great player. And, at the same time, he has so much fun doing it. Sports are games; they're supposed to be fun. If they're not, then why do them? That's kinda the same way I see swim club. We're successful, national champions, yeah, but we also have a great time with each other, we enjoy what we do, and have fun.

Q: How can students join the Swim Club?

A: As for joining the Swim Club, you can join our email list to stay in the loop, email me at president.gtsc@gmail.com for more questions, I'm always happy to answer, or stay tuned to us