On May 29, she will be a part of the “Make A Splash” Tour in Memphis, Tennessee, along with fellow Olympians Cullen Jones and Rowdy Gaines. “I am super excited because I have never done this tour before,” she said. “I am excited to be in the water with kids since I get to do that with clinics on a monthly basis.”
Beisel shared that she has been an ambassador of the USA Swimming Foundation since 2014 when she turned professional. “It was an easy decision for me since its mission is dear to my heart: saving lives and building champions,” she said. “That’s how every Olympic swimmer gets their start in swimming. That turns into a love for the water, and the next thing you know, you’re an Olympic swimmer.”
On serving as the 2016 Olympic Team Captain, she said, “That was an honor. It’s something that means more to me than my medals because you are voted on by your teammates, and they helped me in such high regard in trusting me.”
For young and aspiring swimmers, Beisel said, “Know that it’s going to be a long, hard road. You can’t compare your success to another person’s success. You have to find out what that means for you,” she said.
Back when she competed, Beisel noted that she was motivated simply with the fact that she knew that she hadn’t reached her full potential, and that allowed her to keep going. “I always wanted to do more,” she said. “I always had bigger goals that I wanted to experience. My dream was to win an Olympic gold medal, which I never wound up getting, but that’s okay. Perspective is everything.”
Digital transformation of aquatics
Regarding the impact of technology on aquatics, she said, “Technology has changed swimming a lot. It has changed the way we train people at meetings and the way that we are improving. There are so many devices for recovery that we didn’t know about 10 or 20 years ago. Even the filming underwater is something I never had in high school. Technology is advancing the sport at a very high rate,” she said.
Beisel shared that she was stoked to be a part of Olympic gold medalist Josh Davis’ Breakout Swim Clinic. “Even though I am not competing anymore, the fact that Josh still trusts me as an athlete and as an ambassador for the sport means the world to me,” she said.
“With the Breakout Swim Clinic, it allows me to make a difference in children’s lives. It has been such an amazing opportunity and I am so thankful for Josh. I remember going to those clinics when I was young and being able to hold a medal and getting to know an Olympian face-to-face and having them give me tips, changed everything for me. For me, if I leave a clinic changing one life, it’s worth it,” she explained.
A very fond moment for Beisel was competing on the game show Family Feud, where USA Swimmers won money for the USA Swimming Foundation. “Family Feud was great,” she recalled. “Steve Harvey is a really great guy. I was excited to be a part of that. That experience was super rewarding, especially since it raised money for the USA Swimming Foundation. It was Allison Schmitt’s dream to play ‘Fast Money.’ She’s a huge Family Feud fan.”
Beisel defined the word success simply as contentment in life. “In my career, I was able to experience so many amazing things and that brought me so much joy,” she said. “Being happy in life is the ultimate goal.”
To learn more about the USA Swimming Foundation, visit its official website.
For more information on two-time Olympic medalist swimmer Elizabeth Beisel, follow her on Twitter.
