SwimSwam welcomes reader submissions about all topics aquatic, and if it’s well-written and well-thought, we might just post it under our “Shouts from the Stands” series. We don’t necessarily endorse the content of the Shouts from the Stands posts, and the opinions remain those of their authors. If you have thoughts to share, please send [email protected].
This “Shouts from the Stands” submission comes from Jack Engel, a first-year student-athlete on the Columbia University Men’s Swim Team and a ten-year veteran in the sport.
The stage is set. At the Percy Uris Natatorium, our Columbia Lions hold a narrow lead over the Yale Bulldogs in our home opener. For this race, the 200 IM, we need to get 1-3 to clinch a win. Everyone in the building—all my teammates, spectators, and the Yalies—are on their feet; they know this moment’s stakes. I’m standing behind the lanes on cheer duty, and everyone who wasn’t swimming did the same, waiting with anticipation for the first turn.
Soon, the starter says, “take your mark.” A tense silence.
And then, the beep.
The crowd erupts. As the field turned for fly, every one of my teammates got LOUD, screaming at the top of our lungs to help us take it out. After back, some relief; we took it out perfectly, and our best breaststroker was about to go full-throttle. He absolutely smokes the rest (as we all predicted), turning into freestyle with a comfortable lead. Now, it was up to everyone else to clean up. And we did. Not only did we hold off a strong team of freestylers in the end, but we also didn’t just go 1-3—we went 1-2. We won! Everyone, even our coach, cheered as loud as they could, high-fiving each other and processing the madness. This electric atmosphere reminded me of the unbelievable close-knit community I’ve been able to form on this team, a significant (and welcome) departure from my previous experiences with swimming.
Three months prior, I was *this* close to hanging up my goggles after nine years. There was so much focus on the individual (and “cliques”) with my old club, making the team feel unbelievably fragmented. COVID-19 (and my coach’s bad decisions) didn’t help, causing countless swimmers—my friends—to leave in droves. And that ruined my love for the sport as a whole. But how did I go from a committed “swammer” to cheering on my teammates in an intense home opener?
In July 2021—about a month before I was set to move on campus—I sat with my brothers’ team, the BGNW Marlins, at a meet (they had recently switched, and I was the lone 15-18 boy on my team there). Their coach asked what school I’d head off to, and I casually said, “Columbia.” Hearing this, he went out of his way to introduce me to Matt Hall (who was about to start a new job as an assistant on the women’s team), who just so happened to be standing a few feet away. We talked for a bit, and Matt wanted me to send him an email of interest. After some hesitation, I did; I wrote to him and explained my willingness to stay involved in the sport at Columbia by any means. A few days later, Jim Bolster (the men’s head coach) got back to me, offering me a walk-on spot before I moved in. Not knowing what was to come—or how long I’d last in such a rigorous environment—I accepted this opportunity, throwing my previous plans out the window. In a few short weeks, I went from being a “swammer” who’d fully committed to stopping swimming since early decision results came out in December to being fully committed to a D1 program.
When I went to my first practices at Columbia, I was nervous to see how I would be treated on the team: Would everyone else take me in? Would I be accepted? Would I feel like a part of a team, something bigger than myself? The answer to those questions came early on, as a fellow freshman swimmer happened to be in my orientation group. When I explained my situation, he went out of his way to introduce me to my classmates, and they seemed pretty welcoming. A good start. Another added me to all the class—and team—group chats. I was included in our post-practice lunches, dinners, breakfasts, everything one could ask for. This treatment continued with the upperclassmen and coaches, too: they didn’t care how (comparatively) slow I was or how late I was added on to the team. Just by being there—in the pool, in the locker room, at Ferris (one of our dining halls)—I felt like a part of a brotherhood. We ate together. Celebrated together. Worked hard together. Swam fast together. Shared bonds and friendship came immediately (and still persists), fostered by a tight-knit community that sticks together at all times. There’s such a culture of “togetherness” that I would’ve missed entirely if I hadn’t written that email; I would’ve forgotten entirely about what being on a team feels like. And it’s a feeling I would feel empty without.
Back to the Yale meet. After that wild ending, we went wild ourselves in the locker room, jumping around and celebrating to our hearts’ content. I felt at ease knowing that we were doing this collectively, especially in a sport so focused on the individual. Everyone talked about that 200 IM, that nail-biter, but not in terms of the individual. Instead, it was a team effort. And that’s a refreshing break from the individuality I’d grown accustomed to over the year.
That said, swimmers are now quitting in droves due to lost love of the sport, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic keeping us out of the water for so long. Some get so used to being out of the pool for so long, losing interest—and eventually, love—for swimming, eagerly waiting to move on. At one point, I was almost one of them, ready to move on from the sport—and its teams. But if you quit that, you’re not just losing out on hard work and an opportunity to stay fit. You’re also losing your squad, your lifelong friends, the people who you see every day—and those who change your life forever.
It’s not just the sport itself that molds great people but also the people within it.
ABOUT JACK ENGEL
Jack Engel is a first-year swimmer on the Columbia University men’s team, originally from Chappaqua, New York. He has been swimming for ten years, and has spent basically his whole life around the pool, getting his start after his dad (who was a swimmer himself) encouraged him and his brothers to join their local club team. Since then, Jack has become an ISCA Junior Nationals and New York State Championships qualifier. He is majoring in history at Columbia. He enjoys listening to music, exploring New York City, and hanging out with friends, family, and his dog, Quincy.
Nice article. I hope it inspires a few more high school kids to swim in college, at whatever level fits with their talent, motivation, and academic goals.
It sounds like you’ve had a wonderful experience. I hope other coaches and collegiate athletes read this and look to themselves to see if they are treating others the same way.