Swimming duo double trouble
Swimming seems to run in the Donahue household.
All four siblings swim including their mom, so when sophomore Meghan Donahue and freshman Maura Donahue were introduced to swimming they dived right in.
Freshman Maura Donahue (left) and sister, sophomore Meghan Donahue (right), began swimming competitively at five and six years old. The duo, originally from Milan, Mich., have emerged as leaders on the Lady ‘Hounds swim team early in the 2009-10 season.
Both sisters have been swimming competitively for about 13 years, and wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It came natural, especially since we’re a swimming family,” said Meghan Donahue. “We’ve been swimming together our whole lives. I’m a better swimmer because of her [Maura].”
Maura specializes in freestyle and was chosen as swimmer of the week Nov. 15 by CollegeSwimming.com, while Meghan participates in backstroke and competed in the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships last spring.
Growing up in Milan, Mich. the Donahue’s said they were used to swimming on teams where almost everyone was related, but arriving at UIndy they realized that they weren’t a normality.
“Everyone here thinks its spectacular that were sisters on the same team, but it’s how it’s always been…Except for last year,” Meghan said.
Last year, Meghan was a freshman at UIndy and Maura was a senior in high school back in their hometown, both without a sister. They said that they felt incomplete.
“It’s nice having her on the team again,” said Maura. “Last year I felt lost. Now I have someone there that understands me better than anyone. It’s nice having the whole sisterly thing.”
According to head coach Gary Kinkead, it’s good that the Donahue sisters are on the same team, because they can encourage one another.
“What’s really good about it is if one of them is having a poor performance, the other one is there to support them,” Kinkead said. “That has been a big help to both Maura and Meghan.”
The sisters also carry that support over to the team. Kinkead said that he witnessed times when they helped other teammates when they were feeling down. He said that they don’t just help each other out, but they extend that leadership quality to others.
“In the past we’ve had some people that were ‘I’ people. But this year we do not seem to have any of them and they are more ‘we’ people. I really like that,” Kinkead said.
Maura and Meghan both agree that there is no sister rivalry among them. They practice together and push each other in order to improve their performance.
“Since I was the youngest, I was always playing catch up, but it was never any jealously. I don’t care if she swims faster than me,” Maura said.
Meghan has been swimming since she was six. Maura was in the pool by five. They have swam together, coached a swim team together and played soccer together. However, they are two different people with two different personalities. For starters, Meghan is a computer science major and Maura is a pre-nursing major.
According to Kinhead, Meghan is more introspective and Maura is more outgoing.
“We do a lot of stuff together, but there is a lot of stuff we do separate,” Maura said. “We have a good mix.”
The sisters may have their differences, however they both agree that they are in love with swimming and cannot imagine their life without it.
“Swimming is just what I know. All my life I have been in the pool,” Meghan said. “It’s the only thing I can always count on. It’s my passion and my way of life.”
Maura explained whenever she is not swimming, she feels sluggish and that she has an ample amount of time on her hands.
“It’s like where did all this time come from,” said Maura. “Swimming is just there, it’s a part of me.”
By Adrian Kendrick | Editor-in-Chief
