Olympian Olivia Smoliga Gives Back to Illinois Swimming Through Inspiring Clinic
Olympic gold medalist Olivia Smoliga, an Illinois native, brought her experience to Naperville Central High School (Ill.) last month, leaving a lasting impression on hundreds of local swimmers. The event, hosted by Maverick Swim Club, brought athletes together for two days of technique sessions, goal-setting and meet-and-greet opportunities with one of the biggest names in the sport.
“We ran a Women and Girls event in April through Illinois Swimming LSC,” Smoliga said. “One of the coaches there, Megan Mau, the head coach of Maverick Swim Club, loved what we did during the coaches’ portion and asked if I’d be interested in coming to Mavericks to do something similar in the fall.”
Smoliga, who competed for Team USA at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and the 2020 Games in Tokyo, shared insights into the mental preparation necessary for competition and gave swimmers a change of pace from their usual high-yardage training. Her sessions focused on fast, technical sprint work and encouraged athletes to connect with their bodies in and out of the water.
“(The swimmers) drop into (their) body and you can see everyone relax,” Smoliga said. “They drop all of their worries and they can focus on nourishing their body.”
Many swimmers that attended the clinic walked away feeling inspired and more confident in their skills, taking with them new technical knowledge and a deeper understanding of the mindset needed to succeed at any level of competition.
“Meeting an Olympian in-person was a very cool and exciting experience,” said Julia Finkelstein, a Maverick Swim Club and Naperville Central swimmer. “She joined us in the water and demonstrated some drills and strokes during our set. She was very friendly and welcoming and eager to talk to us and help us become better swimmers. I’m very glad I had the opportunity to do this clinic with her and I learned a lot.”
The coaching staff of Maverick intends to continue building on the lessons used from this clinic in future practices and events.
“The lessons used from the clinic can be used in the future here at Maverick with the knowledge of the importance of pre-race mindset, proper goal setting techniques, and ensuring that our swimmers are in a healthy mindset to race,” said Laura Kluge, Assistant Core 3 Coach.
A native of Glenview, Illinois, Smoliga grew up competing within the Illinois Swimming LSC for Glenview Titan Aquatic Club (now known as Glenbrook Swim Club), where she developed the foundation that would eventually propel her to the international stage.
“Swimming for Illinois Swimming LSC is the reason I am who I am today,” Smoliga said. “Illinois Swimming LSC is so elite and professional, down to the age group level. The 10-and-under camp is set up like a junior national team or a world championship team camp and they really prioritize the athlete. That is the most beautiful thing about Illinois Swimming.”
Overall, the clinic provided a memorable experience for swimmers to learn directly from one of the best, while also gaining new motivation to continue improving.
“She was very friendly and welcoming and eager to talk to us and help us become better swimmers,” Finkelstein said. “I’m very glad I had the opportunity to do this clinic with her and I learned a lot.”
