Notre Dame assistant coach Kelsi Dahlia spent last week at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis. A 2016 Olympian and 100 butterfly specialist, Dahlia earned a gold medal in Rio as part of the women’s 4×100 medley relay.
We asked Dahlia a little bit about her experience last week in Indy…
What was your role at last week’s Olympic Trials?
My role last week was with the USA Swimming foundation. I shared about my experience at my three Olympic trials and what it is like preparing to race at such a high level.
How cool was it to see more than 20,000 people gather to watch swimming at Lucas Oil Stadium?
I’m still processing the enormity of a swim meet in a football stadium. The roar of the crowd as the swimmers lined up behind the blocks was almost deafening. It was incredible to see the love our new Olympians received last week and most importantly I’m thrilled for what this means for the future of our sport.
Describe what it felt like to make the 2016 Olympic Team.
It’s hard to put into words, it was emotional, exhilarating, fulfilling. I swam my fastest when it counted the most, and my family got to sit in the front row to share the moment with me. It’s the perfect memory.
What is your favorite Olympic memory?
My favorite Olympic memory was getting to wear a USA flag cap and represent my country on a relay with my family in the stands.
What was the hardest part of your Olympic experience?
The hardest part of my Olympic experience was missing the final in my event and feeling like I disappointed myself and so many people back home supporting me.
How did you stay focused with all of the pomp and circumstance of the Games?
I did what I could to stay off of social media and focus just on my preparation.
What was your favorite experience in Rio that was away from the pool?
After the games I was able to stay a few days and visit Christ the redeemer and the Sugarloaf Mountains with a couple of my Olympic roommates.
What would you tell anyone heading to their first Olympic Games?
I would tell anyone to take some time each day to reflect and journal. You have worked too hard to get to this point and it goes by in the blink of an eye, one day you’ll want to look back on those memories and emotions. I’d also recommend trusting that you are the best in the world and the best representative for our country, so use that as a confidence boost and have fun!
What made you want to get into coaching?
I was ready to step away from the sport from a competing standpoint, but I wasn’t ready to step away completely. I am grateful to have so many great coaches who helped me in my career, and I learned a lot along the way that I wanted to create some of those relationships from the coach perspective. I knew Notre Dame was the best place to start that career as my faith is such a cornerstone in my life, and the community at Notre Dame is the best in the country.
What has been the most rewarding part of coaching so far?
The most rewarding part of coaching has been the relationships I’ve been able to build in the past two years. I want to make sure each athlete feels seen and loved as a person so they can feel free to compete at their best as an athlete.