One Hundred 100s

There's been a fair amount of noise about the transgender swimmer at the University of Penn. Haven't read a lot about the fairness or the reaction of parents; although I understand one biological female on the team has spoken out. (I regret feeling the need to use the word biological.)

What few can truly appreciate is the level of commitment required to be a competitive swimmer and this applies to kids much younger than college age. The training is grueling. The agony of defeat is real. It's immediate (pick your head up out of the water and your performance is displayed in big digits) and sometimes the disappointment is relentless despite hours upon hours in the pool and doing consistent "dryland" workouts. There are no participation trophies; you often win or lose based on a tenth of second, maybe less. There is zero margin for error. Meets go for hours - sometimes days - and the kids often wait for hours to compete for just :59 seconds. (I've personally watched them with school books open, studying on the pool deck.) It's psychologically intense and mentally draining. Confidence can get kicked around aggressively. Tears sometimes mix with chlorine.

And let's not forget the kids who swim through winter months in cold climates, leaving swim practice in the dark, in 20 degree temps with wet heads and sore bodies...wrapped in a towel and running for the car.

Time management for a 10, 12, 14, 16 year old can be tough too...juggling practices, meets, school work, etc. Very few make it to the college level, partly by choice and partly by skill. The sport is shall we say, self-selecting.

On one high school swim team I was very familiar with, the kids were treated to an annual celebration on New Year's Eve. That day, every individual - regardless of their position on the team - male and female alike - had to swim 100, 100-yard freestyle laps (yards not meters at this school) while the coaches offered "words of encouragement" walking along side the pool. A nice way to celebrate the year no doubt. Oddly enough, most of the kids embraced the challenge.

So when I read of this swimmer dominating female events and crushing records I can only believe this is beyond cheating. Beyond wearing a banned swim suit or taking performance drugs. Beyond common sense.

Men who decide to become women can go about whatever life they choose but they should not be be permitted to compete against biological women in sports. Any sport. These ladies have trained - practically a lifetime - and this individual steps in and instantly robs them of their chance. Their reward. Steals hours (maybe years) of training and perhaps compromises their scholarships? Sorry, doesn't pass the smell test.

You want to be a transsexual competitive swimmer? Fine. But every event should be against other transsexual swimmers. Let's level that playing field and see how you do.

I wish the University of Pennsylvania, administrators and coaches from all college campuses would take a moment and consider the unique level of commitment these students have made to participate on their teams and give them all a fair chance.

No. Sometimes life isn't fair. But this is one instance where it should be.