A Day in the Life of a D1 Swimming Athlete in the USA
Dive Into a Day as a College Swimming Student-Athlete
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to study in the US with a swimming scholarship? Get a unique glimpse into women’s Division 1 college swimming through Keystone Sports ambassador Helena Robla! Helena is a D1 swimming athlete and journalism student at Northern Arizona University. In this article, she’ll share a typical day in her life and details about swimming at university in the USA.
Hi there! My name is Helena Robla and I am a swimmer from Spain. This is my fourth year as a student-athlete living in the US. I am a senior on Northern Arizona University’s Swimming and Diving team. I mostly focus on mid-distance freestyle events, and I am pursuing a major in journalism, with a minor in communication and a sports and adventure media certificate.
Before moving to Flagstaff, I had so many questions about everything, but one of the biggest was probably what my days would look like. Would I have enough time to study and keep up with classes? Would workouts leave me too tired to get anything done for the rest of the day? Of course, every semester and day of the week is slightly different, but with a bit of organisation, I promise it’s not as difficult as you might think!
Morning Routine as a D1 Swimming Athlete
I start my day by waking up at 5:25 a.m. for our morning weights session. My flat is right next to the Student Athlete High Performance Centre where we lift, so I get there about 20 minutes before the workout starts. This gives me enough time to have some breakfast at the fuelling station – usually some cereal – and get any pre-workout treatment if needed.
This week, I just put some heating pads on my back for a few minutes to avoid any soreness. We lift from 6 to 7 a.m., and after that, I usually go to the athletic training room to do contrasts in the hot and cold tubs. If something is hurting or feels extra sore, I’ll see one of our athletic trainers for treatment. After that, I grab breakfast at the fuelling station again. They make oatmeal for us in the mornings, so I usually have a bowl of that with some toppings and a protein shake.
Around 7:45 a.m., I head home and rinse off. I usually take a quick 30-minute nap and then get some homework done. I’m done with most of the general courses, so most of my work consists of writing stories and editing videos for the university’s news outlets. I recently finished an article on a local ultramarathon for one of my classes, which got published in the city’s newspaper. I’m really proud of it!
At 10 a.m., I return to the athletic training room to do some preventive and strengthening exercises for my shoulders and hips. This usually takes around an hour, and then I head back home to do some more schoolwork and have lunch.
Afternoon College Swimming Practice and Schoolwork
After that, I pack my things and cycle to the pool for swim practice. It starts at 1:30 p.m., but I usually arrive half an hour early to stretch and do some mobility exercises before getting in the water.
Practice ends at 3:30 p.m., and then I have a class at 4:00 p.m., so I have a quick shower, change, and grab a snack before heading to the School of Communication building on campus. This class is essentially working for the university’s TV station.
I’ve been doing this for two semesters now, so I can create content and work at my own pace most of the time. Classes range from staff meetings, workshops, and shows to rehearsals where I help produce or anchor our newscast. I also head out to take videos, interview sources, or work on editing news packages.
Unwinding After a Busy Day as a University Athlete
This is my only class on Tuesdays, so after that, I’m done for the day. It officially ends at 5:15 p.m., but if I’m working on something that requires more time, I usually stay a bit longer. The Media Innovation Center inside the School of Communication has lots of editing booths, a sound booth, and a room where we keep all our equipment, so it’s a lot easier to get things done there.
After that, I cycle back home and make dinner. If I have a lot of homework, I’ll continue working after eating, but if not, I usually read for a bit or watch TV with my three flatmates.
I end the day with some journaling, and I try to be in bed by 9:00 p.m. so I can be well-rested for when I wake up at 5:15 the next morning.
Does it seem exciting to be a student-athlete in the US on a swimming scholarship? Take the first step to make it happen! Fill out Keystone Sports’ assessment form and get a free evaluation of your scholarship opportunities.
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Paulina Romo
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