Local Olympian Matt Grevers Comes to Talks Goals
with Chicago Park District Swimmers
By Abby Baird, WSC Contributor

Matt Grevers didn’t disappoint. It was a great event on May 26th, as Grevers talked to some Chicago Park District kids about goals and swimming. Grevers grew up in the Chicago area, attending Lake Forest High School, and went on to swim for the Wildcats at Northwestern University in Evanston.

Grevers swimming career was only on the up swing though as he made the USA swim team for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Grevers was not slotted to win a medal but showed everyone up as he took the silver in the 100m backstroke, coming in second to USA’s Aaron Piersol. Grevers also took home two gold medals by swimming in the preliminary heats for both the 4X100 freestyle and 4X100 medley relays. “I kinda know what I’m talking about when it comes to swimming,” Grevers told the kids from the Chicago Park District.

He even brought one of his gold medals to show the kids, pulling it out of his pocket in a ripped plastic grocery bag.

Grevers came to talk to the kids to launch a swimming campaign on goal setting that will last the length of the summer. Grevers has pledged to swim 400 laps every day, for a total of 10,000 meters this summer, and wants the kids to make their own pledges as well.

“When you share your goals other people can help to push you a little harder,” Grevers told the kids as they were filling out their own swimming pledge sheets. “I suggest everyone share their goal. You are held accountable for it.”

Each kid was given their own sheet to write down what they were going to pledge to swim for the summer. Grevers will then check in periodically, to talk about how he is achieving his goal and how the kids are doing on theirs.

Grevers was great with the kids, but he really shined when he got in the water with them and starting helping them to improve their swimming technique. He really connected with them and was extremely encouraging and patient.

“You guys are doing really well,” he kept saying urging them on.

It was obvious how passionate he was, not only about swimming, but about teaching kids about what he loves so much.