What Swimmers Can Be Thankful For

1) Teammates

Your teammates are your family. Our tight-knit community bonds swimmers together across miles and years. Whether you’ve hung up the suit or continue the journey, your teammates and the experiences you’ve shared will last a lifetime.

2) Sunrises

While the rest of the world sleeps, we swim. Over the course of our lifetime, we’ll experience hundreds if not thousands more sunrises than the average person. Mesmerizing sunrises are one our planet’s most beautiful gifts to swimmers.

3) Food

Swimmers know how to eat. The calories we burn in the pool allow us to consume what our nonswimming friends wouldn’t consider an appropriate amount of food after working out. Enjoy!

4) Swim Coaches

Swim coaches rock. Thank your coach for the countless early mornings, thousands of workouts, and continuous devotion to making the sport a truly great experience.

5) Equipment

Swimming wouldn’t be nearly as much fun if it weren’t for all the toys that make sets challenging and engaging. Fins, paddles, pull buoys, snorkels—these tools of the trade keep our workouts fresh.

6) Workout and Shower in One

Out of the pool, into the shower. Land-based sports require an additional step. And swimming is the least smelly sport there is.

7) Post-Swim Endorphins

That feeling of total euphoria—right after a race or hard workout. Despite the crazy emotions that swimming can trigger, it’s moments like these when you break through barriers and know that you’ll keep coming back to the pool for more.

8) The Meditative Escape of Water

The feeling of weightlessness and freedom that swimming offers us is priceless. The pool is an escape from our over-digitized lives. We can leave the chaos of our day and return after a swim, ready to tackle the world with a fresh perspective.

9) Confidence

Swimmers push their limits everyday. Whether you’ve been swimming your whole life or just started, if you can conquer a challenging set in a workout, you can do anything.

10) Access to Water

Swimming is a privilege. It’s the only sport that’s also a lifesaving skill. Lessons are expensive and access to clean water is something many people around the world don’t have. Pay your good fortune forward by teaching others how to swim and enjoy the water safely.

11) Good Health

Swimming is a life-long sport that helps us lead healthy and fulfilling lives. In addition to hearts of gold, swimmers have lungs of steel. Swimming engages literally every single muscle in the body. It’s no wonder it’s considered to be the best form of exercise for people of all ages.