By: Victoria White

    Some scribble names of siblings, spouses, parents and friends on their skin in blue, red and black sharpies, detailing the reason they race in Swim Across America.

    Some support teammates and celebrate survivors who've conquered cancer.

    While others, tirelessly raise money to destroy the disease that took 8.2 million lives worldwide in 2012 and will end an estimated 609,640 lives in America in 2018.  (National Cancer Institute)

    But, before submerging into the crashing, crystal waves at Lake Ray Hubbard to swim past the stoic lighthouse and cheerful harbor, swimmers reflect on the reason they race in a "Why I Swim" ceremony preceding competition.

    Last year, the Mustangs men and women's swimming & diving teams participated in Swim Across America's event at the lake in Rockwall, Texas. However, when treacherous thunderstorms made the eighth annual Dallas Open Water Swim too dangerous, SMU opened their new pool, the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center, to 320 competitors in the metroplex area.
    "Swimming open water is a lot different than at the pool because it's not a controlled environment," senior sprint freestyle and butterfly swimmer Amy Hess said. "I know it wasn't quite what everyone was expecting, being at a pool versus the open water at the lake, but it still went really well. I think it was a little bit lower turn out than they expected. But, what mattered the most was the money raised for cancer research."

    Through Facebook, family and friends, starting in July, SMU swimmers and divers raised $11,839 of the over $275,000 accumulated at the Dallas event, one of 18 across the United States this year. 
 

    "At the beginning, there were a couple of people who gave a speech [on] why they participate in this event and for who they are swimming," senior freestyle swimmer Lucas Schenke said. "That was really mind-opening to see what you actually can do with the money that you raise, where the money goes to, and what consequences cancer actually has and what impact it can have on a family. It was a good experience to see why we're doing this."
 

    Olympic gold medalists, Dana Vollmer, Charlie Houchin and 2015 SMU Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee, Ryan Berube, were also in attendance. While in college on the Hilltop, Berube won 100 Back, 200 Back, and 200 IM National Championships for SMU in 1996, and was even named NCAA Swimmer of the Year.
 
    According to the Swim Across America website, Berube has been involved in SAA since 2010 and swims "to honor all those who fight valiantly against cancer, most especially for his wife, Michele, who survived a brain tumor diagnosis at age 17."
 
    "Unfortunately everybody can answer that question, because they have a connection to cancer," senior freestyle swimmer El Yellin said about the "Why I Swim" ceremony. "But, it really does bring, not just your team, but a whole community and world together, because people want to stop being able to answer that question. We don't want to have a connection to cancer. So, it's powerful that everybody has that connection in some way, shape or form. But, it definitely motivates you to do more so that it's less common."
 

    Yellin, who's serving in her second year as Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President, said the swim held a special place in her heart.

    "It's just a meaningful thing for us to all get behind," Yellin said. "All of us have been affected in some way. Personally, it definitely means a lot to me. I used to swim with a girl who passed away due to childhood cancer, so it's always been something really, really important to my heart that I've tried to get athletics involved in. So, to be able to do our sport, in connection with that, was really cool. I mean everyone gets behind it, so we were really excited."
 

    Senior backstroke swimmer Kianu Kitching said that serving the community with his team, was an impactful experience for the squad.

    "I think it's great," Kitching said. "It brings the team together just to hang out, something outside of practice and competitions, and it's to do something good for the community and good for the people around you. It was good to see everyone get involved to support a great cause like Swim Across America."    
 
    Many members of the men's swimming and diving team helped with behind the scenes aspects of running the event amidst inclement weather.

    "It gave us a bit more responsibility on getting the stuff done that people don't usually think about, like how many people are going to be in the lane, and you know where are people supposed to go and how long are they supposed to stay in a certain place," Kitching said.

    Certain aspects of the race had to be adapted, too.
 

    "The set up was different this year," Schenke said. "I think last year they had the half-mile first, then the mile and then the three mile, so it was separate races. But, this time, we just did it all at once. They had separate lanes this year, based on your speed, so the more advanced swimmers had to go in one lane, and the other ones had to go into another lane. So, everyone was swimming at the same time, which was really cool I think to see everyone swimming at the pool. It was really crowded too."
 
    While the packed pool added to the unity of the event, for Yellin, a distance swimmer, it almost felt another day at practice.

    "I was the only one to sign up for the longer one because I wanted to kind of explore open water a little bit," Yellin said. "It just felt like the perfect opportunity to test the waters, no pun intended, for a good cause. So, I was really excited about doing a long one. And then, when I found out it was at the pool, it's just kind of just like 'okay, well this is basically practice.'"
 

    In the end though, she was happy that SMU's new facility was able to host the event.

    "Oh yeah, there's not really a better place to be than here," Yellin said with a smile.
 
    The women's swim team, who will be in action at the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center Oct. 12-13 for the SMU Classic, took the NEGU Challenge, as well, in support of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September. NEGU stands for Never Ever Give Up.
  

 

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The Mustangs took the NEGU Challenge in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! We Never Ever Give Up! #inegudoyou @teamnegu

A post shared by SMU Women's Swimming & Diving (@smuswimmingw) on Sep 29, 2018 at 8:22am PDT