More Than Medals: Swim Team at the Y Shapes Champions for Life
Tommy Janton’s journey began in a familiar place: a YMCA pool.
What started as swim practice quickly became something more. Alongside sharpening his strokes, Tommy found confidence, community, and friendships at the Western Family YMCA that would last a lifetime.
“A lot of great memories here,” Tommy says. “If you’ve never done it 100%, try it. It’s a great spot to get more friends and a place to put yourself out there.”
Those early days at the Y laid the foundation for something extraordinary. By age nine, Tommy’s father, Tom, a former Western Y swim coach, saw something special. Talent, but more importantly, a growing commitment to the sport.
“I knew if I put the hard work with the talent, I really could become something special,” Tommy recalls.
Today, Tommy is among the world’s best, a recent men’s 100-meter backstroke champion. Countless hours spent training in YMCA pools helped him reach the highest levels of competitive swimming. But for Tom, his son’s success was never defined by medals alone.
“Swimming teaches you to show up,” Tom says. “To grind when you don’t want to. The character building that it brings, swimming is just another way of teaching what life is about.”
At the Y, the swim team is about more than race times. It’s about discipline, perseverance, learning to perform under pressure, and discovering that pressure can be a privilege.
“Your time comes at a very specified moment,” Tom explains. “You have to be able to produce. Even in YMCA programs, kids are exposed to that internal training.”
Tommy credits his dad and his time at the Y with helping him develop an elite mindset while never losing sight of joy.
“If you’re not having fun, what are you doing?” Tommy says. “Your happiness is always important. Try to shoot for the stars, and you’ll still be up there with the moon.”
From long swim meets to short moments in the pool, swimmers learn patience, resilience, and how to support one another. Bonds are formed that extend far beyond the lanes.
“The friendships they make are for life,” Tom shares. “That’s what the Y is about, family, lifelong learning, and standing by what the Y represents.”
Tom encourages parents to get their kids involved at the Y. Not to chase gold medals, but to build character, confidence, and a sense of belonging.
Because the greatest wins in swimming, and in life, don’t always come with medals.
Learn more about the Swim Team at the YMCA of Delaware here.