DEPAUWTIGERS
DePauw Men's Swimming and Diving
Team Mission Statement
Team Promise
As a DePauw swimmer, I will uphold the traditions of academic and athletic excellence that have been a trademark of this program since its inception in 1926. I will not only benefit from, but actively create an environment that encourages my teammates and myself to achieve to the highest potential in the pool and classroom.
My commitment to you as your coach is to help you achieve your true potential at DePauw. I promise to have an open door policy and to be available to you to talk about your needs and dreams. My goal is to create an atmosphere of trust and communication that will enhance your career at DePauw. This commitment extends to all areas of your life while you are at DePauw and after you graduate.
Your responsibility as an athlete is to your teammates and this program. You must promise never to take for granted the gifts you were given that allow you to be a varsity athlete. You must set your priorities so that academics and then athletics are always number one and two on your list. You must make good decisions in all parts of your life so that you are always prepared, both academically and athletically. You must work to create an honest and open dialogue with your teammates and your coaches. Finally, and above all else, you must work to create an environment of ‘team’. You must create an environment that puts the needs of your teammates ahead of your own and encourages hard work and dedication. At the end of the day you must be able to say, “I gave more back to this team and the DePauw community than it has given me.”
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Graduate's Perspective
My experience with the DePauw swimming and diving program was, without a doubt, one of the best experiences of my life. The four years that I spent as a member of the team transformed me from a naiive high school kid into a disciplined and confident young man-- a product of balancing strenuous training with the challenges and difficulties of a prestigious liberal arts academic institution.
While my personal development was an important part of my experience, the relationships that I formed were by far the most meaningful aspect of those four years. The eight other men in the class of 2010 are still, to this day, the best friends I could ever ask for. Despite coming from different backgrounds, we became a sort of family that maneuvered its way through a wonderful four years. Inevitably, those special relationships spread beyond our class and could be seen in the entire men's swimming and diving program.
I am still so thankful for DePauw and, most of all, the DePauw swimming program. Nothing will ever compare to those four years in Greencastle, Indiana. Born in the Backwoods.