BYU's Melissa Springer's journey in collegiate swimming was everything but what she would have thought.
Springer is in her first year with the Cougars, serving as an assistant under coach Tamber McAllister.
After falling in love with swimming as a child, Springer was able to fulfill her dreams of swimming in college during her freshman year at BYU. However, this quickly and drastically changed.
During her freshman year, she suffered the loss of her brother, leading to her decision to step away from collegiate swimming.
“I just didn’t have it in me. I felt like my swimming experience was an out-of-body experience,” said Springer. “I was getting in the pool every day and training, but my heart wasn’t in it because I was so tied up in what was going on at home. And that part was really hard for me.”
Stepping away from swimming was one of the hardest decisions she had to make. Yet, Springer never would've guessed that she would slowly find her way back to swimming and BYU.
As a public relations major, she had the opportunity to work for the Daily Universe covering the swim team, which reunited her with her love for the sport.
Her communications background led her to take an unpaid internship with the Lance Armstrong Foundation, now Livestrong Foundation, where she found herself coaching in Houston to make ends meet.
Once she came home from Houston, she got herself connected with summer league teams to keep coaching a part of her life, which quickly snowballed into a lot of coaching: middle school, high school, country club, and club team.
“Anything and everything,” said Springer.
This pattern continued when Springer and her family moved to Wisconsin. In a short time, she was the head coach of both the men's and women's local high school swimming teams, eventually winning state championships.
“I felt like there wasn’t a lot of room to grow,” said Springer. “If I am going to keep coaching, I need to either find ways to grow within this or I need to do something different.”
Following lots of prayer, Springer never felt quite right about quitting coaching. She continued to challenge herself, receiving certificates in nutrition and volunteering her time as chair of the Wisconsin swim board.
But she still thought she would move on once her daughter graduated from high school. However, God had other plans. When the BYU job was offered to Springer, everything for her and her family seemingly fell together.
“Being back here has been amazing. I love it every day. I pull up to work, and this is so great. I can’t believe I get to do this,” said Springer.
Springer has allowed her unique coaching journey and personal story to positively impact her athletes.
“Even though my collegiate experience for myself wasn’t what I wanted,” said Springer. “It gives me the opportunity to relate to others in a different way, those who come and are struggling and have challenges.”
Her philosophy, influenced by her collegiate experience, does not just end with relating to the athletes but extends to the goals she has set for herself as a coach.
“My goal is to help these athletes, form them," she said, "and shape them so that they can be champions in life and not just champions in sport."