Being a member of the YMCA of the North Shore swim team over the past 11 years has taught me many things. Most importantly I have learned how to be responsible to my parents, my sister, my peers, my coaches and especially to myself. When we were younger swimmers, our coaches had to lead us to the blocks for each event. They had to remind us when to drink water, where to stand, what we should wear and especially not to forget our goggles. As we grew older, we began to assume more responsibility for ourselves. This transformation has helped prepare us as we enter the next stage of our lives.

The responsibilities acquired by a swimmer help instill an understanding and appreciation for such concepts as high self-esteem, personal accountability, goal setting and goal achievement through hard work in training and in competition. Responsibility means taking control of ones actions for each different situation. It is not about winning the races. The most fundamental concept in swimming is developing relationships with our coaches, parents, and athletes as we continue to mature.

Responsibility can mean many different things. It can mean following the rules and living by the creed of the coaching staff; giving our best effort when we train and compete and always supporting our teammates at practices, meets and at school. It also means that we should never lose sight of the fact that although we train hard and compete frequently we should always have fun. The love of the sport is our responsibility to ourselves and others.

As I reflect on my life as a YMCA swimmer, the responsibilities that I have learned include the following:

Ø To never let my teammates down

Ø To always be on time

Ø To be prepared

Ø To confer with my coaches whether or not the race was swum technically correct

Ø To be a leader at all times

Ø And to demonstrate the knowledge of a TEAM concept … there is no I in TEAM

The “Y” has taught me how to take charge of my life. As I mature I will be able to look back at the responsible things that I have done and carry them with me while making good choices for college, a career and building a better responsible life for myself.

Please bow your heads at this time…

We ask our Lord to help all participants and volunteers at the National Swimming Competition to show characteristics of responsibility. Please help us to represent the YMCA organization in the best way we can in order to ensure that everyone has a successful and rewarding week. We thank you Lord for bringing us together and appreciate all that You have done for us.

Amen.

Nicole Zarba

North Shore YMCA

Beverly, MA