Hannah Shoemaker
Backstroke and IM
Class of 2018
What had been your favorite swim team memory?
No particular moment has stood out because swim team has been a collection of fun moments. Being a part of a team that really cares about each other is really awesome and the friends that I found through it. It was sophomore year between fall and spring semester and one of the girls on the team got married so a bunch of us carpooled down to Maryland. We got to go to the wedding together and we also had time to visit each others family on the way back.
What is unique about Grove City College’s swim team?
I think one of the things that makes us unique is that we realize we are a Christ-centered team. Each year, we are not only swimming to win championships , but are also swimming to glorify God and we are using the abilities He has given us to do our best.
What is something a prospective swimmer should know?
As soon as their name gets put on our potential roster list we are already thinking about them and praying for them. And by joining the team you kinda get a second family and people that care about you. And also that ability to have interactions and connects with upperclassmen that you wouldn’t normally get helps with car rides and books in the future.
How was the program different from what you thought it would be coming in as a prospective athlete?
Coming as a mechanical engineer major, the professors stress that you don’t have time for a varsity sport or anything. It was overwhelming freshman year and I wasn’t anticipating swimming, but I got a letter from the captains over the summer and it was really kind and encouraging and they were looking forward to knowing me. Knowing that people were excited for me to come to campus was really cool. Right off the bat we start of with a Chipotle trip and the team sucks you in right away. The captains’ practices were one hour in the morning and were manageable and as soon as I knew it – the season started.
What has your swimming experience been like over the past four years and how did swimming affect your collegiate experience?
Being a part of the swim team is a time commitment and you have to really commit to it and understand that. Having my friends on the team made it feel like my social time for meals and practices. So when I go back to my room, I’ve had my social time and now its work time. Definitely enhanced it, being able to have those interactions with upperclassmen has encouraged me and helped get me through my harder class and having those people that I could lean on was very important.
What would you say to someone on the edge about swimming at Grove City College?
Number one thing is to try it, don’t be afraid to try it. If you are considering it at all, give it a try.
