Welcome to my Blog

I am starting a new adventure in my life, a new chapter that is different to anything I have experienced before. I am now an assistant professor at Michigan Tech University. In addition to that I continue to strive for success in something that I started doing a couple of years ago (triathlon).


As with anyone that ends one era to start another I will be writing about my transistion from graduate student to young professor, and of course my quest to become a successful triathlete. I am wondering how my transition from full time graduate student into the full time working profession will be.


Similar to competitive sports most athletes don't have a transition period and will experience many highs and lows as they try to figure another meaning for themselves. As a swimming coach I would watch seniors graduate and see how excited they were to be 'free to do what they wanted', only to see them come back around after the 1st month feeling slightly disillusioned because the world they thought they wanted wasn't quite what it seemed, and all of a sudden they are searching for a new identity. When I was told I was 'done' swimming I went through years trying to figure out who I was without it. What I came to realize (through my coaching, and observing my swimmers) is that you don't have give up that part of your life. It was so important, why would you act like it didn't exist . That part of your life is what helped mold you into who you are today................. without continuing to express that part of your life you fail to show people you meet or associate yourself with who you really are.


It took me a long time to figure this out when my competitive swimming ended, I wish I had someone who could have guided me through it more. I feel like this is where alot of great coaches fail. The coach/athlete relationship is suddenly ended, and many times the athlete still needs/depends on that guidance. Graduate school helped me figure this out, coaching elite college level swimmers helped me see this, experiencing one of the hardest and biggest changes in my personal life made me seek something that would give me my identity back. Completing my Ph.D and re-training myself to find and become again what I had lost (an athlete) has helped me find a way back to a life that I am now happy with.