Tribulations of college sports lead to real-world wisdom

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Being a senior on a collegiate athletic team, I find myself in a very unique position. The vast majority of individuals who participate in athletics aren't given the opportunity to attend college while having some of the many costs of higher education supplemented by a source of income other than their parents or loans.

Of the few lucky ones, many aren't able, for any number of reasons, to complete four full years of eligibility.

Athletes, like most students, change a great deal from the time they begin their undergraduate study to the time they graduate. They may come in with one perspective about their sport, and leave with one that is much different.

Over time, athletes may begin to see that the great sacrifices they make within their sport don't equal the benefits they reap. More often then not, the reason for retiring early from a sport is simply burnout.

After working for so long and with such intensity in one's athletics prior to attending a university, student-athletes arrive in a situation where the practices are longer and more difficult, the demands of everyday life are greater and the pressures to perform both on the field and in the classroom take on a whole new meaning. This can truly make completing four, and in some instances, five years of athletic competition very difficult.

It is because of this that I feel a great sense of accomplishment in completing my full allotment of time here as a Saluki. Having your body and mind last the test of time is not an easy thing to do.

As my fifth and final year here comes to a close, I can't help but look back on the many things that have changed since I first plunged into the not-so-warm water of the Student Recreation Center pool.

That's what it was called then, as opposed to the Dr. Edward J. Shea Natatorium as it is now known. The pool itself has undergone some great changes. The diving boards, scoreboard and hot tub have all been improved, not to mention the huge Saluki logo adorning the west wall. I know this last improvement was welcomed with open arms by our team as a psuedo-declaration of ownership to the place where we have spent so many hours.

But these alterations in the pool pale in comparisons to the changes in the make-up of the team that I have witnessed since I first became a Saluki. I came to SIU in 1998 before any other member, excluding coaches, that is currently on the roster.

I have been a part of five different teams, each with their own face, and own very distinct personality. But it hasn't been just the normal transformations that take place from the incoming freshman replacing the outgoing seniors that has contributed to the characteristics of each team.

The staff of coaches that has lead this team to two MVC Championship victories in the last four years has evolved over time as well. One coaching change has had a significant impact on me personally.

I have had one year with one diving coach, one year with no diving coach and the last three with another. This situation was quite dismal when it first arose. The rest of the divers and I had to make some tough decisions. Transfer, retire, red-shirt, or compete without a coach, were all options each of us faced.

It really tested each of our abilities to adapt to a new team setting and to modify our plans for our athletic and academic futures.

This hasn't been the only time our team has faced difficulties. Each team, every year, has come up against a different set of obstacles over which we have had to climb. Everything from members of the team getting injured or sick, having to compete after endless hours of bus travel and people leaving the team unexpectedly to athletes giving all they have and coming up short ever so slightly.

The last five years, the Southern Illinois University Men's Swimming and Diving team has faced setbacks and frustrations of all sorts. But, despite all this, the heart of the team has never wavered. Regardless of the situation, our goal has always been to train the hardest, swim the fastest, dive the best and succeed in bringing the MVC Championship trophy home.

I think that's the most important thing that I will take away from my experiences here in Carbondale as a Saluki. In between the times when goals are set and when they are achieved, there will always be barriers that can get in our way. Unforeseen events are always a possibility, and the sign of a true winner is how they adapt to the unexpected, and do all that they can to reach their goals.

As I make the transition into new and exciting stages of my life, I know that the lessons I take from being an SIU athlete will be very valuable. My only hope is that whatever situation I find myself in, I am able to adapt to anything that comes my way and stay focused on what's important to me, just as I and all my Water Dawg teammates have done over the last half decade.