Tevyn Waddell
Tevyn Waddell
QUICK STATS
Birthday: May 16, 1998
Height: 5’9”
Hometown: Mitchell, South Dakota
School: University of Minnesota
Coach: Jesse Moore, Kelly Kremer
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
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2017 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
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2017 Big Ten Champion (100 backstroke, 200 medley relay)
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11 x NCAA All-American
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Member of 2020 ISL New York Breakers
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2016, 2020 Olympic Trials Qualifier
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University of Minnesota Record Holder
Greatness is borne at every corner of the world, and it shows no preferences. Tevyn Waddell wants swimmers to know that if they can supplement even the barest resources with her tutelage, they’ll be 10 steps ahead of where she began.
“I grew up swimming in a soft-sided above ground pool that my small club built in an old Cambell’s supply garage. It was four lanes and was 4 feet deep. Regardless of the facility, I went to practice every day and controlled what I could control and worked hard at every practice.”
All she needed was a lane (and perhaps a Fitter and Faster swim clinic!).
With a strong belief in the power of mentorship, Tevyn takes her role as a coach seriously. Built from a network of people who believed in her, Tevyn hopes that she can instill a similar sense of confidence and clarity in her participants, and perhaps open their minds to skills they didn’t even know they had!
“When I was a senior in college, my plan was to go onto medical school. One of the requirements for my major was to do research for one semester under a professor. I looked around and found one studying NeuroLaw. My undergrad degree was in neuroscience, so this felt like a perfect fit for me other than the fact that I only knew the basics about the legal system. [This mentor] taught me all about the legal field and how you can intertwine it with neuroscience. By the end of my research semester, I had made the switch from going to medical school to going to law school after graduating. Without my research professor, I would not have discovered my passion for the legal system or the way that neuroscience can also be applied in the law world.”
Tevyn wants to be a similar shepherd within the sport of swimming. As an IMer, she is well-versed in racing all four strokes. Subsequently, she has a keen eye for talent, and can help swimmers discover where their natural strengths can be of much use.
“The little things are what can make the biggest difference. Whether it’s a dolphin kick off the wall or not taking a breath into the finish. These little things are what can add up and give the swimmers the biggest drops in their times. Focusing on these little details during every practice is what will make them easier once race day comes.”
Tevyn also wants swimmers to know that challenges can work as blessings in disguise, and the only thing that can hold back an eager swimmer is themselves.
“The most notable breakthrough I had during my swimming career actually came when I wasn’t allowed to swim at all at a young age. I had broken my arm playing another sport when I was 12 and was unable to actually swim for three months. During this time, for practice I would wrap my cast up in a garbage bag and hop on the kick board for the entire practice. The next season, I went best times by a landslide in all of my events and I really think it was because of the ability to develop my kick. During this time, even though I was still young, not being able to swim made me realize how much the sport meant to me and after those three months, I quit almost every other sport to focus solely on swimming.”
Let Tevyn help you think like an elite swimmer. Sign up for a clinic with Tevyn today!
