Thank you, Dinos Men's Swimming

Reflecting on my student-athlete career as a Dino brings so many emotions to mind. Rewinding the experiences in my head from the last five years makes me realize how influential and life-changing my time at the University of Calgary has been. Would I go back and do everything all over again? Absolutely not. But I will always remember the highs and lows of swimming and school with some of my best friends.

Going back to my memories of first-year makes me cringe and insensibly happy all at once. Showing up in a new city and starting at a new school with new people was a bit intimidating at first. I was nervous and worried if I had made the right decision or not; however, those feelings went away very quickly.

It was immediately apparent to me that being a Dino meant more than just being an athlete.  It meant that you were a part of something, and you belonged there.

I felt like I was adopted into a big and extremely dysfunctional family that threw me into the fire that was the life of being a student-athlete. Not only do I have to thank my seniors for exposing me to all the Dinos traditions, but I have to thank my rookie class that supported one another, through thick and thin. Being able to go through such a big transition in life with guys in the same situation has helped me learn how valuable it is to rely on those friendships for support. Without the five of you, I would probably be much more sensible at times, but I also would have never made it through the hardest times of grinding in the pool and classroom, and I would have never had some of the best times of my life.

When I competed with the Dinos for the first time, it made me experience a whole new side to the sport of swimming. It is inherently an individual sport, only you can influence the outcome of your performance. However, varsity sports changed my mindset around why I wanted to succeed in swimming. Waking up before 5 a.m. to go jump in a cold pool when you are tired and stressed from school or personal life is hard sometimes. I know many of us athletes lay there and rationalize the millions of reasons to stay in bed, but knowing I had 19 other guys that were going to be there and work hard gave me all the reason I needed to get up. Getting to stand on the blocks for your teammates and pouring your heart and soul into competing for a collective achievement makes those 5 a.m. wake ups so much easier. I had never experienced an event in swimming where every person’s performance mattered equally before entering university. Self-achievement and being proud of your results at the end of a race is an amazing feeling; however, working together to achieve a common goal with some of my best friends was undoubtedly the most rewarding experience during my swimming career. 

One of my most memorable moments during my years as a Dino is surprisingly the most devastating loss we had as a team. At the 2019 Canada West Swimming Championships, we were battling neck and neck with the UBC Thunderbirds. The buildup of frustration and motivation to beat UBC was at an all-time high. I can remember in competitions before that there was always a moment on Day 2 of the meet that UBC pulls way ahead, but this time we were able to stick with them throughout the whole three days. Going into the last relay I remember that we were up by a few points, but ultimately it was the team that won the 4x100m medley that would come out with the title. It was electrifying to stand and cheer with my whole team, watching my teammates duel it out with UBC. The passion of everyone on deck was like nothing I had ever felt before.  Even though we ended up losing the relay and ultimately the Canada West title, our ability to support each other and be proud of one another regardless of the outcome brought us closer as a team.

Another moment, or moments, that I will never forget about my time at The University are my experiences away from Calgary. Being able to travel nationally and internationally with your team is just as fun as it sounds. Recounting memories from all the U SPORTS events, Florida and Hawaii training camps, and national team events would take me way too long to write out. So in short, I am extremely grateful that this sport has allowed me to travel and experience places that I would not see otherwise.

As I transition into the next chapter of my life, I do not feel like I got the closure I wanted for my varsity career.  I had planned on retiring from the sport of swimming after the 2020 season, and after giving it one last shot at achieving my dream of making the Olympic Games.  So, I thought that I had swum my last varsity race at the 2020 U SPORTS Swimming Championships.

When the pandemic hit, I was on the fence about going another year, but after much deliberation, I decided to continue training to keep my Olympic dream alive.  

Going back to the pool in September, I was excited to have one more year with the Dinos. I wanted to compete with the team again and give the rookies the same experience I had coming into my first year, but this was not how I expected my varsity career to end. With all the unexpected circumstances due to COVID-19, there were going to be additional challenges if I wanted to keep swimming and pursue my goal of making the Olympic Games. Without access to the university pool, my teammates and I had to train off campus for three months. If we had not swum during this period, my Olympic dream would be done and I probably would have retired from the sport.

I know now that varsity swimming is behind me and I will always cherish the performances, experiences, and friendships that have come out of my time being a Dino. I am forever grateful for the experience and support that my coaches, teammates, and support staff were able to give me, and I am proud of myself for how far I have developed in school and swimming over the last five years. My advice for the next generation of Dinos is to appreciate every moment and take advantage of this time in your life. This is the time in your life to learn as much as you can about yourself. Take every high and low as a learning opportunity to help you strive toward your best self. These five years go by extremely fast so enjoy it as much as you can and do not be afraid to ask for support from friends, teammates, coaches, or anyone in the Dinos community.

- Peter Brothers