Sporting Life - Westminster College

www.westminster.eduPat Smith ’07Pat Smith allowed himself to celebrate on Saturday night. The Titanmen’s swimming team had just held off Grove City College at the three-dayPAC championship meet to capture its second consecutive league crown.Along the way, Smith finished first in the 200 backstroke and second in the400 individual medley, giving him five career conference titles and fiverunner-up finishes.On Sunday, however, Smith and some teammates spent most the day inanother familiar place – the library.“We won the championship, and that was great, but Sunday we wereback in the library and back to work,” said Smith, a junior political science“major from SouthPark. “A lot of ushad tests on Mondayor had missedtests on Friday. It’stough sometimes,but it’s a commitmentwe’re willingto make.”A lot of people do more thanme; I just try to do my best. If Icouldn’t handle it all, I wouldn’ttry to do it. But I like doing it all.That’s why I can’t give it up.”The swimming season is arguably the longest of any sport at Westminster.Practices begin in September, and meets begin in October, extending untilFebruary (March if the swimmer qualifies for the NCAA championships).During most of the season, swimmers practice twice per day, once in theearly morning and once in the afternoon. For Smith, this is when his gradesget better.“When we have two-a-days our schedule is more structured and that’swhen my grades are better,” he said. “I know I only have a certain amountof time to do my work at night. I have to get it done. I can’t put it off. Whenswimming ends, I have a lot more free time, and sometimes it’s harder tomanage.”Part of Smith’s routine includes attending study sessions implemented byswim team members a few years ago. Freshmen and those swimmers withlower GPAs are required to attend five hours per week; the required hoursdecrease as GPAs rise. Smith carries a 3.2, which frees him from mandatoryattendance, but he goes anyway.“You have to prioritize. Sometimes swimming isn’t the most importantthing; school is the most important,” Smith said. “I can’t swim forever.”The whole team has embraced the concept. The men’s team met its goalof finishing first in GPA among all of the College’s men’s teams in thefall after placing seventh in the previous semester.“Coach [Rob Klamut] may be more proud of that than our swimmingaccomplishments,” Smith said. “That’s a positive thing. We’re studentathletes.Student comes first.”Fast Facts...Patrick J. SmithHometown: South Park, Pa./South Park H.S.Class: JuniorMajor: Political ScienceGPA: 3.2Sport: SwimmingOrganizations: Student Government Association,SAAC president, Fresh Start, swim campcounselorHonors: 5-time PAC champion (first-team allconference),5-time all-conference second teamWinte r 20 06 • Wes tminste r C ollege Magazine17