The joy of finding your tribe in the swimming world
It isn’t the water that carries you forward,
It’s the people who swim beside you.
The last time I went for my debut state-level swim meet, I was all alone. There wasn’t a single fellow participant from my club, no team behind me to cheer me on. Thanks to my daughter, a junior swimmer herself, the meet felt a little less lonely. But I still remember telling my coach right after returning, even as he congratulated me on my first state-level win:
“Next time, I’m not going alone. If I go, I’ll go as a team.”
I didn’t know then how deeply that wish would root itself in me.
Last weekend, it finally came true when I headed to the 26th Karnataka State Master’s Swimming Championship. I had my friend and fellow competitor, Ashwini, from Ekalavya Academy, by my side. Having someone who understood the pre-race jitters, the waiting in between events, and the silent language of courage made all the difference. A few of our teammates couldn’t make it this time, but I’ve learned that even one good company is better than none.
Suggested Read: Why It Wasn’t Easy To Acknowledge My First Swim Meet Win: The need to recognise the journey more than the destination
What I didn’t expect, though, was to end up with an even bigger tribe, a beautiful mix of swimmers from different clubs and cities. Before the warm-up sessions began, we spotted Pratibha, a familiar face from an earlier meet in Mysore. Soon, Lavanya and Sushma from Shimoga joined in. Later, we met Varshika, who had come to the meet on her own, only to realise that we had met the previous year—as two solo swimmers trying to find our rhythm in new waters.
And just like that, six of us came together, from different places, with different stories, but connected by one current—the love for swimming.
For events that last barely five to ten minutes inside the pool, we train for months, sometimes for years. The drills, the discipline, the dawn practices, each stroke rehearsed for moments that pass in a blur. But what truly tests us isn’t just the swim itself; it’s the long hours of waiting between races.
And that’s where your tribe makes all the difference.
The laughter over shared snacks. The pep talks whispered right before we take to the starting blocks. The videos recorded for each other’s races. The friends who cheered from the sidelines, shouting “kick harder!” or “pull stronger!” The ones who celebrated our wins with loud cheers and softened our losses with reassuring pats. The ones who said, “You’ve got this,” and truly meant it.
Somewhere between the heats and finals, we stopped being competitors and became companions.
Between the lanes, we built something invisible yet powerful—a sense of belonging.
When the meet ended and we packed our bags, there was a quiet ache in saying goodbye. Two days of shared laughter, water splashes, race strategies, and recovery tips had turned into memories. But as we waved our goodbyes, it was with a promise to stay in touch, to train better, to keep each other accountable, and to meet again, somewhere down another pool lane.
Because the real win isn’t always what you bring home around your neck.
Sometimes, it’s what you carry in your heart—the friendships, the shared courage, the knowing that you’re not alone in the current.
Medals shine for a moment;
Bonds gleam for a lifetime.
Suggested Read
This post is part of the Blogchatter Half Marathon.
