Seeing the Light

My first full competition of the season, Northern Lights, was last weekend and with it the corresponding nerves and jitters you’d expect coming in to the first meet of the season. Each athlete has their own strategies and routines they’ve developed through their years in the sport to help them perform their very best. These strategies vary from small loosely structured mannerisms to meticulously curated schedules or even superstitions.

These strategies are completely individualized, and what works for some won’t work for everyone. For me, I set aside time for a lot of quiet visualization. Visualization not only refreshes me mentally, I also feel refreshed physically afterwards. I think that visualization helps to assure me that I am prepared to compete and that boosts my confidence.

When I visualize, I include the crowd in my visualization. Being in the spotlight and performing for the crowd isn’t an easy aspect of artistic swimming for me. Including the crowd in my mental run throughs helps me focus on the positive feelings of being excited to show off the sport I love.

Although visualization helps, I still find myself quite nervous at a competition, especially when the time comes to walk behind the curtain and prepare to swim. Each time however, without fail, when my name is called and the referee gives me the cue to go, I enter the competition state of mind and all that I am focused on is the present moment and swimming to the best of my ability.