What Swimming Teaches That The Classroom Doesn't (or might...)

ASC Families - Here's a unique look at swimming from Coach Kevin Pierce's perspective.

Courtesy of Kevin Pierce. Follow Kevin on SubStack here.

Every weekday morning, I stand in front of a classroom filled with students learning about history, culture, and how the world works. Every afternoon, I’m on the pool deck, whistle in hand, guiding a group of teenagers through challenging practices designed to build speed, strength, and strategy. I’ve coached high school swimming long enough to know this for sure: some of the most important lessons our student-athletes will carry with them through life won’t come from a textbook or lecture—they’ll come from the water.

As a teacher, I believe in the power of education. But as a swim coach, I’ve come to believe just as strongly in the education of sport—especially a sport as uniquely demanding and transformative as swimming. There’s a hidden curriculum in every swim season, and it teaches things the classroom often can’t: resilience, discipline, teamwork, self-awareness, and leadership. READ MORE