This week I spoke to a USS Swim Club here in Annapolis. It was great to meet with their senior group - mainly high school age swimmers - because they can relate to who I was and what I went through as a teenager and a swimmer. I was their age when my accident happened and I was, of course, a swimmer.

So many of the lessons I learned as a swimmer played a huge role in my recovery. Swimmers spend a lot of time alone in the pool - with only themselves to motivate and with only themselves on which to rely. However, it is also a team sport. Everyone knows Michael Phelps would not - could not - have achieved his goal of 8 gold medals without his teammates. I too, would not have met my goals with out my teammates.

The physical challenges I faced during physical therapy were like a really hard training cycle. Some days were painful, but I came back the next day. Some days I was tired, so I rested and returned the next session. Some days I felt great - and pushed myself harder. All these were lessons I had learned in the pool.

And when I was done - just as when I was having a hard day at swim practice, or a slow meet - my teammates were there to cheer me up, to encourage me, to give me the confidence to continue. That was as essential to my training as my own individual motivation.

I hope USS swimmers know how important these life lessons are. We learn them through swimming, but they stay with us for life. And for that, I am grateful.