The Events Nobody Volunteers to Race: How Swimmers Are Valued
Swimmers who regularly take on demanding or less popular events give their teams flexibility. They fill gaps in the lineup, compete outside their specialties, and accept combinations of races that others would rather avoid. But when that willingness becomes an expectation, these athletes can begin to feel overlooked.
The 200 butterfly, 400 IM, and distance freestyle races often come to mind, although preferences vary. Some swimmers love those events. Others accept them because their team needs someone to come through. The frustration comes when the same athletes repeatedly take on that responsibility and feel their personal goals receive less attention.
Being trusted can create pride. It can also raise a difficult question: Does the team value my development as much as my willingness to help?
Research on athlete burnout offers a useful framework for understanding that concern. A 2026 study published in Frontiers in Psychology, Chen Chen, Hao Wu, and Lei Zhang surveyed 800 college athletes in China. Athletes who reported more autonomy-supportive coaching, such as having their perspectives considered and receiving explanations for decisions, also reported less burnout. Controlling coaching was associated with more burnout.
The study used self-determination theory, which identifies three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy means feeling ownership of your actions. Competence means feeling capable and effective. Relatedness means feeling connected to and cared about by others. All three were associated with lower burnout in the study.
The researchers examined these relationships using questionnaires collected at a single point in time. They did not establish cause and effect or isolate swimming as a sport. Their findings do not prove that difficult event assignments cause burnout or slower times. They do, however, provide a way to consider the experience surrounding those assignments.
For a swimmer, autonomy does not mean choosing every race. It can mean having an opportunity to discuss goals and understanding why a particular lineup matters. An athlete may willingly take on a difficult event because helping the team is personally meaningful, even if the race itself is not enjoyable.
That experience can change when the assignment feels automatic. Without conversation, swimmers may begin to interpret their role as always being available to fill a gap. They might hesitate to request another event because they worry that expressing a preference will make them seem less committed.
Competence matters here, too. Repeatedly racing outside a specialty can make progress harder to recognize, particularly if swimmers judge themselves only by times and places. Someone may execute a better race strategy or manage a demanding turnaround without producing a result that attracts attention.
Useful feedback can make that development visible. A coach who discusses improved pacing, stronger turns, or a well-managed finish gives the swimmer something concrete to build on. The athlete can see how the assignment contributes to their growth and the team’s lineup.
Relatedness also has a practical place on the pool deck. Teammates who watch the race, ask how it went, and acknowledge the effort help communicate that the swimmer matters. Constant jokes about being relieved to avoid the same event can feel less supportive when they are the only acknowledgment someone receives.
These experiences may influence the enthusiasm and confidence an athlete brings to training and racing. A swimmer who feels included and sees progress has reasons to stay engaged. Someone who feels stuck in a role may find it harder to approach the next assignment with the same energy. That is an application of the psychological framework, rather than a performance outcome tested by this study.
Coaches still have to balance individual ambitions with team needs. There will be meets when swimmers accept events they would not choose. Explaining those decisions, offering specific feedback, and planning opportunities to pursue preferred events can help keep those responsibilities connected to development.
Swimmers also need room to speak honestly. Being willing to help and wanting a chance to race a favorite event are compatible. A dependable athlete should be able to express both without feeling that their place on the team is at risk.
The swimmers who repeatedly accept difficult assignments help make a team competitive. Their reliability deserves recognition, and their goals deserve consideration. They should finish the season knowing how they helped the team—and how the team helped them improve.
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