The University of Texas (Permian Basin)
NCAA DII • LSC
Date: March 24, 2024
Would Recommend
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Betsy Graham was an exceptional coach during my final two years under her guidance at UTPB. She arrived in my junior year, inheriting a team lacking structure and discipline from the previous coach, who fostered a party-like atmosphere. Coach Graham implemented rules and brought about significant changes, which some on the team resisted. However, she held us to standards, expecting punctuality, dedication to improvement, and academic excellence. Despite facing resistance, she recruited faster swimmers to enhance the team's competitiveness, prompting some to leave due to their unwillingness to adapt. Coach Graham provided candid feedback on my performance, investing time to help me improve. While my scholarship was partially reduced due to academic and performance reasons, she could have revoked it entirely, yet chose not to, allowing those who proved themselves to retain their scholarships. Some teammates departed as a result of scholarship reductions, but Coach Graham's fairness ultimately improved the team's environment, gradually weeding out dissenters. Blaming her for any loss of passion for swimming is misguided; it was their resistance to change that led to their discontent. It's time for these former teammates to mature and take responsibility for their own choices.