Monday, January 11, 2021
Sean Grieshop Adapts, Improves During Pandemic Year
Despite the ongoing uncertainty and challenges that surround life in a pandemic, Sean Grieshop finds solace in focusing on the things he knows.
He knows he is on track to graduate from the University of California-Berkeley next December.
He knows his future involves medical school and a career in anesthesiology.
He knows that when U.S. Olympic Swim Trials return to Omaha this summer – after being postponed in 2020 – he’ll be in his best physical and mental condition.
As far as he’s concerned, that’s what living through the ups and downs of a global pandemic will do for you.
“Physically, I have been blessed in that my coaches have worked to ensure I am in the water on a consistent basis, with a few roadblocks as the number of cases rises and falls in the Bay Area,” said Grieshop, a Molecular Environmental Biology major at Cal. “Of course, the time out of the water was a tremendous learning opportunity, and taught me to roll with the punches. I have learned to be creative with my dry-land exercise so that I can stay in shape.
“The sting of (NCAA Championships) being cancelled, the disappointment when trials were postponed, not being able to spend a lot of time traveling home to see my family. These are all inconveniences, but truly I am lucky. I have managed to stay healthy, my parents still have jobs, I still have a roof over my head. I see the world in a different light and understand that swimming has shaped me to be a better human, and that out of the pool, there is so much more to life. I am so thankful.”
In addition to the physical side of his swimming, Grieshop said he knows that COVID also changed his mental game.
As a result, he is now approaching swimming in a completely different manner, particularly that any race, even a small one during practice, could be his last for a while.
Because of this, he intends to give it his all each and every time he’s on the blocks – in practice as well as at competitions.
“Not having competitions allowed for me to train in a different way during the summer,” he said. “I was able to focus more on lifting, getting stronger and being fit. Time away from the pool really allowed me to focus on fitness. I absolutely feel as though I am in great shape and when we had a little time to rest, I was able to swim fast.
“Additionally, I found the COVID-19 shutdown time allowed me to also focus on my diet. I had more time to experiment in the kitchen and have learned some new techniques to ensure I'm putting healthy fuel into my body.”
For Grieshop, who started swimming when he was 8, swimming has been an important part of his life for as long as he can remember.
His motivation and desire to attain the highest heights in the sport came in 2008 when a 9-year-old Sean watched Michael Phelps win eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.
A summer league swimmer at the time, he had just finished a meet where he received a ribbon for participation and a piece of candy and went directly into the Rec room to watch Olympic finals.
What he saw that day changed his life in and out of the pool.
“I loved watching Michael Phelps attack each race,” he said. “It was in the dominance that Phelps demonstrated that I wanted to be an Olympian for the best swimming country in the world. It was inspiring and made me want to put in the work that would hopefully lead to making an Olympic Team.”
And while he said he’s enjoyed every phase of his development as a swimmer, he has grown to especially value his latest experience as a member of the Cal Men's Swim team.
He recognizes his coaches for working hard to make him and his teammates better people, both in and out of the water.
Through this, he said he’s learned that swimming has helped him develop into a strong human.
“I have learned about healthy competition, compassion, teamwork and how to have fun,” he said. “All of these things I will use as I wrap up my collegiate career and head toward adulthood.
While he’s been on the rise in the swimming ranks for the past few years, it was in 2019 when he won two medals – a silver in the 400 individual medley and gold as a member of the 4x200 freestyle relay – and was riding a wave of confidence heading into 2020.
When COVID hit and Olympic Trials and the Olympics were postponed, he adapted to the situation, realizing the importance of swimming in his life and focusing on both in 2021.
“I saw the postponement of Olympic Trials and the Olympics as an opportunity to get better,” said Grieshop, who has taken up more strength training through CrossFit to improve his fitness this year. “When the announcement was made, I was in the water doing an intense distance set, and when we got out of the pool, my coach looked at his phone and said that the Olympics had been postponed.
“My immediate reaction was sadness that we wouldn't have the opportunity to race that summer. That feeling didn't last, and I became excited that I would have another full year to continue training and do everything that I didn't do well during 2019 now had time to be fixed. I am leaving nothing to chance.”
He knows he is on track to graduate from the University of California-Berkeley next December.
He knows his future involves medical school and a career in anesthesiology.
He knows that when U.S. Olympic Swim Trials return to Omaha this summer – after being postponed in 2020 – he’ll be in his best physical and mental condition.
As far as he’s concerned, that’s what living through the ups and downs of a global pandemic will do for you.
“Physically, I have been blessed in that my coaches have worked to ensure I am in the water on a consistent basis, with a few roadblocks as the number of cases rises and falls in the Bay Area,” said Grieshop, a Molecular Environmental Biology major at Cal. “Of course, the time out of the water was a tremendous learning opportunity, and taught me to roll with the punches. I have learned to be creative with my dry-land exercise so that I can stay in shape.
“The sting of (NCAA Championships) being cancelled, the disappointment when trials were postponed, not being able to spend a lot of time traveling home to see my family. These are all inconveniences, but truly I am lucky. I have managed to stay healthy, my parents still have jobs, I still have a roof over my head. I see the world in a different light and understand that swimming has shaped me to be a better human, and that out of the pool, there is so much more to life. I am so thankful.”
In addition to the physical side of his swimming, Grieshop said he knows that COVID also changed his mental game.
As a result, he is now approaching swimming in a completely different manner, particularly that any race, even a small one during practice, could be his last for a while.
Because of this, he intends to give it his all each and every time he’s on the blocks – in practice as well as at competitions.
“Not having competitions allowed for me to train in a different way during the summer,” he said. “I was able to focus more on lifting, getting stronger and being fit. Time away from the pool really allowed me to focus on fitness. I absolutely feel as though I am in great shape and when we had a little time to rest, I was able to swim fast.
“Additionally, I found the COVID-19 shutdown time allowed me to also focus on my diet. I had more time to experiment in the kitchen and have learned some new techniques to ensure I'm putting healthy fuel into my body.”
For Grieshop, who started swimming when he was 8, swimming has been an important part of his life for as long as he can remember.
His motivation and desire to attain the highest heights in the sport came in 2008 when a 9-year-old Sean watched Michael Phelps win eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.
A summer league swimmer at the time, he had just finished a meet where he received a ribbon for participation and a piece of candy and went directly into the Rec room to watch Olympic finals.
What he saw that day changed his life in and out of the pool.
“I loved watching Michael Phelps attack each race,” he said. “It was in the dominance that Phelps demonstrated that I wanted to be an Olympian for the best swimming country in the world. It was inspiring and made me want to put in the work that would hopefully lead to making an Olympic Team.”
And while he said he’s enjoyed every phase of his development as a swimmer, he has grown to especially value his latest experience as a member of the Cal Men's Swim team.
He recognizes his coaches for working hard to make him and his teammates better people, both in and out of the water.
Through this, he said he’s learned that swimming has helped him develop into a strong human.
“I have learned about healthy competition, compassion, teamwork and how to have fun,” he said. “All of these things I will use as I wrap up my collegiate career and head toward adulthood.
While he’s been on the rise in the swimming ranks for the past few years, it was in 2019 when he won two medals – a silver in the 400 individual medley and gold as a member of the 4x200 freestyle relay – and was riding a wave of confidence heading into 2020.
When COVID hit and Olympic Trials and the Olympics were postponed, he adapted to the situation, realizing the importance of swimming in his life and focusing on both in 2021.
“I saw the postponement of Olympic Trials and the Olympics as an opportunity to get better,” said Grieshop, who has taken up more strength training through CrossFit to improve his fitness this year. “When the announcement was made, I was in the water doing an intense distance set, and when we got out of the pool, my coach looked at his phone and said that the Olympics had been postponed.
“My immediate reaction was sadness that we wouldn't have the opportunity to race that summer. That feeling didn't last, and I became excited that I would have another full year to continue training and do everything that I didn't do well during 2019 now had time to be fixed. I am leaving nothing to chance.”