Hope swimmer Greta Gidley makes most of move from Michigan

Hope College swimmer Greta Gidley transferred from the University of Michigan.

HOLLAND – Greta Gidley was excited to swim for the University of Michigan.

Joining one of the top teams in the country brings a lot of excitement.

But for a lot of swimmers, big programs can mean getting lost or not finding a place on the team. It leads to tough practices and seasons.

It was so tough on Gidley that she needed another place altogether, and transfered to Hope College.

“I had a really bad experience swimming last year. I ended up quitting in December. I thought I was going to be done with the sport,” Gidley said. “After taking a few months off, I realized I wanted to swim again. I knew I wanted to go somewhere completely different. My sister actually graduated from Hope, and I went to high school with a few girls on the team, so I was really familiar.”

More:How Hope College women’s swimming transformed into national force

Gidley has thrived at Hope. In just half a season, the sophomore from Franklin has been a part of two school record relays and is helping push the freestyle group every day in practice.

“I am on the same wavelength as these coaches and this program is going to do amazing things because the people here care so much. Knowing people care about you beyond swimming is really what drew me here,” she said. “It has been amazing. Last year I was swimming terribly, which was one piece of the puzzle. My worst days here are better than my best days last year. Being able to see that on a daily basis is really reassuring that I am in the right spot.”

Hope coach Jake Taber said even more important is what Gidley brings to the team out of the water.

“She is bringing a positive, upbeat energy,” he said. “We knew how talented she was. She is a program-changing talent that creates opportunities. As soon as you talk to Greta, you get the sense of who she is with that bubbly personality. She is going to be a great teacher with the way she cares about people and invests in people.

“You have seen her come into her own and she has found her place here.”

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Now she is looking forward to using that place to thrive in the water.

“Being able to break school records in relays when we all know that we have more to give is really special. It gives us the realization that we can do something even more special at the end of the season. It is a good affirmation that we are on the right track,” Gidley said. “I am hoping to get back to where my times were in high school. I also have been working on my confidence in races and it was really shot last year. But I know here even if I don’t swim well, it isn’t the end of the world. Knowing I have put in the work makes me know I can do great things.”

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Hope swimmer Greta Gidley makes most of move from Michigan