Hannah Hecht's Blog

While the Hindman-Hobbs Center is home to a weight room, an indoor track, recreational basketball courts, wrestling rooms, and classrooms, the pool is the often-overlooked heart and soul of the recreation center. Built in 1988, the aquatic center has seen better days; it now is home to chipped lane lines, outdated equipment, and worn starting blocks. However, the men and women who spend four hours a day swimming back and forth across the 25 yard pool will tell you that it has a lot of character. “The pool is where we come together as a team though all the sweat and tears,” says Krystal Carlson, senior captain of the 2012-2013 Mustang swim team, “I’ve put in hours and hours of work here, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Sitting on the cool, tiled floor of the pool deck, one gets a sense of being completely at peace. The gentle buzz of the water filter, coupled with soft trickle of water sliding over the deck, fill the air. The quiet and constant sounds make it quite easy to think; to observe the gently moving water in silent contemplation. A distinctive aroma of chlorine fills the air, strong, but not unpleasant. There’s no distracting music, electronics, or conversation; the clarity of the faintly teal water reflects one’s own clarity of thought.

When it’s getting close to practice time, person by person, the members of the swim team start to appear on deck; young men coming from the locker rooms on the left and young women from the locker rooms on the right. They all wear minimal clothing which show off their muscled frames, Speedo briefs for the men and tight, form-fitting racing suits for the women. Their conversations are almost indecipherable; sound bouncing off the cement walls and echoing across the deck. In contrast with their athletic appearances, many of the team members seem awkward on their feet. They walk in a gangly way that befits young teenagers, not experienced athletes. However, they all appear confident and at ease, happy to be ready for a challenge and overjoyed to be in a place where they feel truly accepted.

The coach, friendly but authoritative, says something. One by one, they enter the water and morph from awkward teenagers to hardened athletes. They perform each stroke with ease and gracefully glide through the water. Each armstroke makes a soft “whoosh” as the swimmer’s fingers enter the water. A fast staccato kick bubbles at the surface of the water and propels the swimmer toward the opposite wall.

The practice wears on and, all the while, a huge painted logo looks down upon the swimmers, a majestic and fierce Morningside Mustang, reminding them that they compete not just for themselves, but for the college and for their teammates. Stroke after stroke, lap after lap, and practice after practice they swim back and forth. Weeks pass and each athlete experiences incredible heartbreak, exhaustion, and joy, all in that same echoing, worn-down room. But the pool stays exactly the same. The water continues to flow over the edge, the filter continues to buzz, and a harsh chlorinated smell continues to permeate the air.

In 50 years, when it all is said and done, the athletes may not remember their fastest times. All of the races, workouts, and conversations will slowly fade away. They may not even be able to name every one of their teammates. But, whenever they walk by a steamy indoor pool where the harsh smell of chlorine permeates the air, they’ll remember that distinct emotion of confidence, joy, and excitement. They’ll know that the old Hindman-Hobbs pool was the place in college where they truly belonged.