Kelsey Bids Farewell

After I finished high school swimming, I thought I would never swim on a team again. I was worn out from the competitiveness within my team, and my coach’s expectations. I went through my freshman year at Saint Mary’s without swimming, as I had expected. However, in September of my sophomore year, I realized that I was missing something. I wanted to be part of a team again. So I made the decision to try swimming for SMU. That was one of the best decisions I have ever made. This team has made so much more of an impact on my life than I could have possibly imagined. I love being on a small team with a coach who cares about us as individuals and not just how fast we swim. I have gained close relationships with people on this team that I would never have gotten otherwise. I feel like I have gone through so much with this team — training trips, swim meets, countless bus rides, and, of course, hours of practice. I would like to start by thanking my parents, who have been supportive of me swimming from the beginning. You have tried to come to every meet you could possibly make it to. Mom, thanks for always being the loudest fan to cheer for me. Pat, thank you for being such a wonderful boyfriend and for always being there for me. It means a lot to me that you’ve come to every home meet, even when I couldn’t swim. I would also like to thank my sisters for coming to my meets in the Cities whenever they can fit it into their already busy lives. Coach, you are the main reason that I decided to stick with swimming at Saint Mary’s. You made swimming fun for me again. It wasn’t just about winning; it was about being a team and having fun. You don’t have to be the best swimmer on the team to feel like you matter. Mic, thanks for being there to push me; the time you’ve spent helping me perfect my stroke or dives off the block has been valuable to me. LP (lane partner for those of you who don’t know), thanks sharing a lane with me for the past two years. You’ve helped me through a lot of practices. We’ve had so many fun times together; we could never stop laughing even if everyone around us was annoyed ... “ToNigrellisome#s.” The rope tied between us will never break no matter how far away we are from each other. Toni, it’s always been entertaining. I will never forget about flordia (no it’s not a misspelling). We’ve gone through so many good and bad times together. Always remember our silly quotes from Puerto Rico. Joyce, you are always there to lighten up the mood. I still remember how you made your kickboard have a shark fin your freshman year. Since then you have made me laugh countless times. When I was going through a rough time last year, you were the first one to be there for me and tell me it was going to be ok. Becca, Lindsay, Sean, and Logan, you have all been my role models since I started swimming at SMU. Those of us who know you still talk about you and share your stories. Thanks for coming back to cheer us on when you can. We have never forgotten any of you, and we never will. To all first-year and returning swimmers and divers, it’s been an unforgettable season, and I’m so lucky that I got to know each of you. Puerto Rico was an adventure and brought me even closer to some of you. You guys are a young team and have a lot of room for improvement. Keep up the hard work during practice, and it will pay off in the end. I’m sad to see my time with this team and this school end. I have gained so many good memories from all my experiences here. The friendship’s I’ve built here at SMU will never be forgotten. Thank you to everyone!