Just before sunrise on a warm June morning, the UNCW swimming and diving team slipped into the waters of Banks Channel near Wrightsville Beach. The swimmers set off around the Causeway Drive Bridge, their first lap marking the start of a day of training. A few minutes later, a pod of dolphins surfaced behind them.

While the coastal setting is beautiful, these training sessions are about much more than the scenery. They are designed to help student-athletes prepare for the highest levels of competition. Many of UNCW's swimmers aspire to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials. However, the university does not have an Olympic-size pool for them to train. The coaching staff looked to the Intracoastal Waterway for a solution.

“For Olympic trials, it serves as an important part of our training,” said UNCW Swimming and Diving Head Coach Bobby Guntoro ’11. “The only race pace training we do for that meet can only be executed in the Intracoastal.”

Embracing the Elements 

While others may see the ocean and waterways as a scenic backdrop, the Seahawks have turned them into an asset and a competitive advantage. Training in open water introduces variables that don't exist inside a controlled pool environment. Tides shift and currents change. The team approaches those challenges carefully, Guntoro said.

“There are definitely a lot of X factors involved,” he continued. “The safety of our swimmers is the top priority. We don't mess around with weather or condition of water. We move practice to our pool when it's necessary.”

When conditions are favorable, the coaching staff incorporates the natural movement of the water into the workout, he added.

“We focus on utilizing the current in the water as either resistance or assistance for the swimmers and write appropriate sets to achieve what we're trying to achieve that day,” Guntoro explained.

A Coastal Culture 

The relationship between the UNCW swimming and diving team and water extends beyond training. The team’s philosophy embodies the values that define UNCW’s coastal university identity.

“The culture of our program is love where you live and appreciate and respect the water around us,” Guntoro said.

For many athletes, the Intracoastal Waterway becomes more than a training venue. It becomes part of their college experience and a connection to the community they call home.

“Nothing can replace being around your best friends in the water and watching the sunrise,” Guntoro said. “These training sessions are some of their best memories as a student at UNCW.”

Being immersed in the waterways also fosters a sense of stewardship. Athletes develop a personal connection to the environment, one that encourages responsibility and respect.

“When they are in the water, it's giving them the mentality that this is ‘our water,’” Guntoro said. “That's a powerful feeling and helps them feel that we have a responsibility to protect this.”

The swimming and diving team’s approach has also become a recruiting tool. Prospective student-athletes are often intrigued by the opportunity to train in coastal waterways.

“As far as I know, we are the only team in the country that utilizes this training system and environment consistently,” said Guntoro. “I think we use the water around us as our strength. Rather than focusing on what we don't have, we are being creative and leveraging the environment around us.” 

UNCW swimmers make their way around the Causeway Drive Bridge in Banks Channel near Wrightsville Beach, kicking off a morning of open-water training.