I started swim team as a child because my Mom wanted something for me and my sisters to do during the summer. I think her purpose was to keep us out of trouble and wear my sister and me out. Little did she know that decision was going to change my life forever.
Swimming & Swim Team
I wasn’t your typical girl, I am still not. I loved girly things but hated girl drama. Swimming seemed to find me at just the right time. I needed something to build my self-esteem and I found that I was good at swimming. I started on our local summer swim team. From there, my coach encouraged my Mom to sign me up for the USA Swim Team that would extend my season into the winter. So, I began with a team called the Colorado Rapids Swim Team. It was a smaller USA Swimming club team, which fit my personality. I used to be shy, if you met me now, you wouldn’t think so. I swam in High School and we won a state championship and I became an All-American. I got the opportunity to swim in college at the University of Northern Colorado. Wow, what a ride. But through all this, it was the friendships I made that made the biggest impact on me.
Friendships
Through the years, I swam with some amazing people and I didn’t realize until I became an adult, had my own kids, and reconnected with my childhood teammates and friends, how much they impacted my life. They knew my family growing up. These girls saw my tears of pain through practices, school work, boyfriends. They attended my wedding and the birth of my kids. I know I can depend on them because I know they don’t quit. They look out for me in all ways and I am so blessed to call them my best friends.
- Heidi Adderly
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