Personal Narrative: Summer Swim

The two forms of motivational climates include a task-oriented and an ego-oriented climate. A task-oriented motivational climate is one that focuses on personal improvement and effort level of the individual. (Jean M. Williams & Vikki Krane, 2013). This type of climate has a positive effect on athletes and makes for more favorable experience in the sport. There was evidence of a task-oriented climate because the coach was focused on technique and improving the strokes rather than coming in first. The practice sets were focused on doing progression drills, where the swimmer would build off the previous drill. This is a type of practice is known as “part practice” and involved progressing in a starting position and gradually combining the required “parts” to the whole starting position resulting in the dive. (Jean M. Williams & Vikki Krane, 2013). The coach was very instructional in taking the time to do it correctly and offered suggestions when necessary. I believe that the coach has implemented a task-oriented motivation climate within the team, which has a positive effect that intrinsically motivates the swimmers towards improvement and enjoyment of the sport. An ego-oriented motivational climate is when the focus is more on the social pressure of winning and being better than someone else in order to enjoy the activity. I saw

The music started and I began the routine which I had done millions of times before. After we finished our routine, the parents, the athletes, and my coaches met up so we could discuss how we thought we did. I felt we did extremely well and I was confident that we would win. After we met up, my family and I went outside to go to the car. The competition was being held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, which is a few blocks from the beach, so I could feel the chilled breeze in the air and could smell the salty aroma of the ocean.

Every person becomes discouraged at some point in their life. They become consumed with frustration and feel as though all hope is lost. My story of discouragement begins at the start of my junior year track season. I had made so many improvements since the previous season and knew I had the potential to be the best in the state. However, the first few track meets of the season this did show at all. For some reason I could not put it all together in the competition setting and ended up not clearing any bar the two first meets in a row. I felt like giving up, I had put my heart and soul into this and was not getting anywhere near the results I had expected. Even though I was at my lowest point I knew I loved the sport far too much to ever quit,

John Knowles’ fictional novel, A Separate Peace, centers around the story of Gene Forrester and his friend Finny, two teenage boys enrolled in a private boarding school during the early 1940s. While the actions and events in the text allow the reader to gain an understanding of the characters, the setting itself provides a great deal of insight about each character’s personality, especially Finny’s. In numerous ways, Knowles uses the setting of his novel to help reveal various aspects of Finny’s character, such as his natural leadership abilities, his peerless athleticism, and his innate charisma.

The fear of falling was overpowering, it made me feel weak and scared. One Saturday my father, stepmother, little sister and I were headed out to our family's Cabin to go tubing behind Russ` speedboat on Lake May.

The nature of motivation that stems from love is powerful and effective. Whether it is romantic, platonic, or self love, it can be a very potent motivator. In Kari Strutts “Touching Bottom”, the characters are motivated by different types of love. For example, the narrator 's father. He was incredibly supportive of her swimming career, dedicating hours of his time to getting her where she needed to be. Swim practices, meets, and competitions, her father never complained about the intense schedule. He served as a pillar of guidance and support for the narrator as a child, never failing to provide the things she needed. A mother figure was never mentioned by the narrator, so it can be assumed he did all of this alone. The level of dedication and

You never know how helpless you are until you have a near death experience. One summer, when I was young, my family and I went to a water park. I didn’t know how to swim, but thankfully the majority of the park required no swimming ability. For one of the rides, I wanted to get out of my tube and jump around, but once I climbed out, I immediately sunk to the bottom. I tried to kick back up and just as my legs gave in, a lifeguard climbed in and pulled me up. I was grateful to him, but something was bothering me. I couldn’t save myself. That was the moment I decided that I was going to become a lifeguard someday to help myself and many others.

There we were, in Houston Texas, Dejah, Aniya, and I were warming up, practicing handoffs in tent city. We had made it to the Houston Texas AAU National Junior Olympics. It was No Limits Track Club’s second to last day on our eight day trip. It was the most competitive day of them all. It was time for the four by one hundred meter relay. With my relay team stretched,warmed up, and ready to go, we headed towards the stadium where we would race against the fastest girls in the nation. Intimidated but not deterred we headed out of Tent City and into the gates of Turner Stadium.

I leapt from the diving board my rescue tube in hand, the air whooshing past my ears and adrenaline pumping through my veins. With a resounding splash, the swimming pool’s cool crisp water surrounded me. As I tore through the water, I looked up and saw the victim, a young woman in her twenties. A wide eyed, terrified expression was on her face as she sank underwater. I swam towards her body with all of my strength and I shoved my rescue tube into her arms. Panicking she grasped the tube as we floated to the side of the pool. Back on land my body shook from the adrenaline surging through my system. After she finished coughing the woman said, “Oh my god I thought I was going to die, thank you for saving me”.

This was also the first time I felt my heart had it’s own mind. My heart was saying ”Jump out of Mikayla and go back home…She’s crazy!” Back to reality…there was no turning back once all of the girls from each team lined up on the starting line. I remember telling myself that as long as I didn’t get last place I could possibly be considered a decent runner. Powwwww…the gun goes off and all I could hear was the echoes of feet hitting the ground. I continuously told myself to continue to running no matter what. It was only the first mile when I realized, I was the female coming into last place. All I could think of was to head into the woods to cry. It was there where I began asking myself “Why did I sign me up for this sport?” That day I did come in last place along with the pity clap for

A warm morning, sun shining with a slight breeze, and calm waters; the perfect day to learn how to water ski. I had never been water skiing before, I barely knew what it was, I was anxious to say in the least. I stood on the dock as my parents maneuvered the boat into the water, I’ve never been so uncertain. My family reassured me that everything would be okay as I was strapped up my life jacket. I stood on the edge of the boat, apprehensive, but I had to jump in the water, it was now or never.

Boom, bang, pow! Boxing was all I ever thought about as a child. I would dream, eat, and sleep boxing. Though I was a little shrimp weighing in only 75 pounds, I had a very big heart, which gave me the drive to keep on pushing forward. Everyone around me seemed like giants, but that did not stop me from doing what I love. Boxing sculpted me into a stronger person mentally.

Three hundred and fifty children under the age of five drown in pools each year nationwide. Two thousand and six hundred children are treated in hospital emergency rooms for near-drowning incidents. These statistics can bring chills down one’s spine. With drowning being such a threat, it is surprising how many guardians of young children dismiss the importance of their child learning how to swim. Survival swim lessons gives infants and toddlers the skills they need to move through the water independently while incorporating being able to breath when needed. Although some parents are fearful of their child swimming, infants and toddlers should be enrolled in survival swim lessons.

When I was eight years old, I joined the Shaker Sharks swim team. I was put in the lowest group and struggled to swim even a 25. I considered swimming a hobby at best, not even realizing it was a sport. Two years later, my family and I moved to Solon. I switched teams to join the Solon Stars Swim Club.

The sound of the whistle jolted me into action. I dove from the block, and a wave of silence crashed over me as I hit the water. For a moment, there was a sense of serenity as I swam under the surface. The spell broke as I rose for air. I could hear everyone yelling and cheering. Tuning out the noise, I tucked my head under the water, staring at the pool’s tiled floor. Nearing the wall, I lifted my head to gather a breath of air before my flip turn to start my second lap. Looking up, I saw five of my team members at the end of my lane cheering for me. With a renewed energy from their excitement, I turned and continued the race. After the race was over and I was out of the pool, I took my hard-earned ribbon and scurried back to where my swim