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Des Plaines River Racers Swim Team
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How To Swim In College!
MEET THE RIVER RACER COLLEGE SWIMMERS
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Swimming is a great way to "get through" college. You will meet some great people, make lifetime connections, and of course get to swim through college! Sometimes, you may even qualify for scholarships to help you pay for school.

Pretty much everyone can swim in college. The question is, where? Division I schools are very competitive. Most Division III schools always have spots for those who truely want to swim! It's tough work, but the rewards are out there. Just read some of the stories of our college swimmers.
Meet out college swimmers who have gone through the River Racers program. Feel free to contact them and ask them how their swimming is going!
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Sammy Jo Mahler
Carthage College - Kenosha, WI
Year In School: Junior

Major: Business and Markeing with a Mnior in Theatre

High School Graduated: Maine West High School - '07

Hometown: Des Plaines

Events: 100 Fly, 100 free, 50 Free
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So how do you go about getting on a team?

  1. Talk to your current coaches.
Both high school and club coaches usually have contacts at different schools and usually receive tons of recruitment mail from colleges.

  1. Go online and search colleges you like.
Make sure the college you want to swim for has the educational program that you want to get a degree in.

  1. Contact the Coach at the college.
A college swim coach's full time job is coaching. They spend all their time crafting their team and they are always on the look out for prospective members. Sometimes a simple email introducing yourself will put you on their radar.

  1. Visit the college - Set up an appointment.
Plan to visit the colleges of your choice. Many high schools allow students personal days to visit colleges. When you visit a college, schedule time with the swimming coaches to meet with them.

  1. Talk to current college swimmers.
At the River Racers, we have many swimmers who currently swim at the college level and know most of the coaches. Perhaps they can offer you some advice or at least let their coach know about you.

  1. Keep working hard at club/high school.
Many college coaches watch the results of high schools and club swimming. They especially watch the high level meets such as Regionals, Sectionals, State, and Zones. If they see your name, they will remember you.
Advise To Other River Racer Swimmers: Go for it. If you truely love to swim, and can't picture yourself without it, like me, then continue to swim. I'm not going to lie, swimming at a college level is much more intense than highschool, and is alot more of a commitment, but it is definitly worth it. I have made the best friends of my life through swimming in college, and am constantly in great shape. And even though you will be continuously tired, sore, and in pain, the memories you create and the friends you make cancel out all the bad things. Swimming in college is probably one of the best things I've ever done, and I encourage everyone to follow your dreams and continue to swim, because it is truely worth it in the end.
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Matt Zych
Baldwin-Wallace College, Berea OH
Year In School: Freshman
 
High School Graduated From:  Maine West High School

Events You Swim: 100, 200, 500, 1000 all free

Favorite Part About College: Only having 2-4 hours of class a day and it not being continuous.

Least Favorite Part About College:  Expensive!

Something You Miss From Home: My car and swimming somewhere with two pools.

What Advise would you give to the River Racer kids: Listen to the coaches about fixing your strokes It'll pay off when you have less to fix later on in life.
Most of the documents on our site are in Adobe PDF format. They can be viewed using Adobe Acrobat reader. Click on the pdf icon above to download the reader for free!
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Corrine Kellerhals
Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL
Year In School: Freshmen

Major: Elementary Education

High School Graduated: Maine West High School - '09

Events You Swim: 200 free and 500 free.

Favorite Part About College: Not having class
til 11am almost everyday! :)

Least Favorite Part About College: The ridiculos amount
of homework

Something You Miss From Home: My family and friends. And I miss going to IHOP with my best friends! :)

Advise to the River Racer Swimmers: Work hard! Continue to swim in the off-season and work on all of the strokes, not just freestyle. It's good to know how to do them all, so that way you're ready for any event the coach could possibly put you in and just in general it makes you a stonger swimmer.
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Des Plaines River Racers Swim Team
A part of Des Plaines Swimming
1153 S. Lee Street #215 - Des Plaines, IL 60016
www.desplainesswimming.org
Page last updated: October 12, 2009