This week’s Speedo Tip of the Week comes from Lenny Wiersma, a PhD in sport psychology and a member of USA Swimming’s High Performance Network. Wiersma offers some advice on friendly rivalries in the pool.

To find a sport psychologist in your area, visit USA Swimming’s Sports Medicine Database.

Wiersma’s Tip:

A lot of people have misconceptions about competition, and sometimes believe that a rival competitor must be an enemy or something. The essence of competition is cooperation: the better your competitor, the better you must become. So the harder and smarter you have to train. And the better you become, the harder and smarter she has to train. Do you see what happens? You both become better athletes by pushing each other.

Despite what some people believe, you can be friends and competitors at the same time, and you should be. Some of the biggest rivals in sports are very good friends. True competitors respect each other and support each other. So do true friends. You should look forward to training together, competing with each other and growing stronger as friends. Someday, when your swimming career is over, you’ll probably remember the best times you had outside of the pool much more than you’ll remember your best times in the pool.