Boyle adapts to life outside the fast lane
FOUR months into retirement Lauren Boyle and is getting used to her new life.
One of New Zealand’s most successful swimmers, who won more world championship medals than any other Kiwi, announced in August she was hanging up her goggles, unable to compete at the level she wanted to because of a hip injury that had plagued her for over a year.
Since then she’s got a job, working for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Auckland’s CBD. and stays involved in swimming through a mentoring role with the Jetstar Super Swim Squad.
The life of an elite swimmer is so drastically different from this who live ordinary lives, it’s one that revolves around early morning training, gym work and fitness.
So when it comes to an end, naturally there’s a big adjustment that needs to be made.
‘‘I’m four months into my new routine and it’s a massive change, it’s a whole lifestyle change and goal change,’’ Boyle says, as she watches sisters Ella and Grace Crowe, who were the two of the three swimmers from Auckland, who qualified at the Bay of Islands event last weekend to be a part of the Jetstar Super Swim camp, which takes place in April.
‘‘I think it’s challenging for anyone to go through that. It’s been very rewarding because I’ve had an opportunity to have a very accelerated growth period and time of learning and I’m really enjoying what I’m doing now.’’
It’s a well known saying for top sports stars, that they’re a long time retired and when they do call it a day, they have a lot of catching up to do with others who’ve had more than a decade head start on them in building a career or business.
And unless you’re Michael Phelps, who is worth an estimated $79 million, swimming’s not a sport where you’re going to make enough money to retire on.
But Boyle says being committed and excelling in a sport, does provide the right values when changing careers.
‘‘You have very different experiences from everybody else obviously,’’ she said.
‘‘I think the values that elite level sport and professional sport teach people are the same values that help you succeed in business.
‘‘It’s just a different kind of experience that you have.’’
That rigid routine Boyle had as CHRIS MCKEEN/STUFF a swimmer may have gone, but she says she has another one now and it’s one that’s based on building a career, rather than chasing medals.
‘‘I still get up pretty early to exercise before work,’’ she said.
‘‘The life of an athlete is very privileged, you get to workout for your career and I found that very enjoyable.
‘‘Now I do something different and I really enjoy that too. I don’t think I’m happy that I don’t do that specific routine any more, I’m just doing something different now.’’
Although the 30-year-old Boyle no longer competes, she still goes for dips in the pool, but says it’s for enjoyment now.
‘‘I like to swim socially as of about three times a week for about 30 minutes with fellow retired swimmers,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s fun, it’s very relaxed and if we want to stop we do, if we want to get a coffee instead of swimming we do, it’s very enjoyable.
‘‘I haven’t timed myself yet, it would probably be disappointing if I did.’’
And Boyle is giving something back to the sport that’s played such an important part in her life.
The Jetstar Swim Squad provides New Zealand’s most promising swimmers with expert tuition to develop their technical skills.
There are 36 members of the squad aged seven to 12 and at no cost to their families, they come together in late April.
Former Olympic swimmer Dean Kent is the head coach at the swimming camp, with Boyle a guest coach.
‘‘I’ve done the Jetstar Swim programme before, in 2014 and it’s a great way for children to meet coaches and swimmers who’ve been very successful,’’ Boyle said.
‘‘It’s also a great opportunity for them to reference off the swimmers in their age group, how they’re doing with their own skills and they can make friends along the way.
‘‘I also see it as a reward for the families, for putting in all that effort into helping their children become budding young swimmers.
‘‘The programme has been running for six years and it really shows Jetstar’s longevity and involvement.’’
‘ I'm four months into my new routine and it's a massive change.’ LAUREN BOYLE