Finding Confidence, One Lap at a Time.png)
For Dryden Janke, joining the YMCA Mariners swim team wasn't part of a carefully crafted plan. His parents simply wanted him to stay active and try different activities. Swimming happened to be the one that stuck.
Eight years later, it's become so much more than a sport.
Today, as he prepares to enter high school, Dryden has grown from a young swimmer learning to make it across the pool into a state competitor with aspirations of swimming in college. Along the way, he's discovered friendships, confidence, discipline and a place where he truly belongs.
Growing alongside the team
Like many young athletes, Dryden's earliest memories aren't about winning races. They're about the people.
He still remembers looking up to the older swimmers when he first joined the team. Now, after nearly a decade with the Mariners, he finds himself in that same position—one of the older athletes helping encourage younger teammates simply by example.
"It's kind of come full circle," his mom Abilyn Janke shared. "He used to learn from the older kids, and now he's become one of the swimmers the younger kids look up to."
The friendships have become just as meaningful as the competition.
Many of Dryden's closest friends are teammates he's met through the YMCA. Those relationships have extended beyond practices and swim meets to birthday celebrations, family trips, sleepovers and everyday life. For him, the team has become a true community.
More than faster times
Dryden admits there are days when relaxing on the couch sounds more appealing than heading to practice. "But there are also times that I want to get faster," he said.
That mindset has carried him to multiple appearances at the state meet, where he has competed in individual events and relays while continuing to chase new goals, including qualifying for Zones and eventually swimming at the collegiate level. His favorite event remains the breaststroke, but success hasn't happened by accident.
Dryden now supplements swim practices with weight training, focusing on building strength in his shoulders, core and legs. He also understands that nutrition plays an important role in performance—although he admits a post-meet trip to Culver's is still hard to beat.
Finding his confidence
Perhaps the biggest transformation hasn't happened in the water. It's happened within. Swimming has given Dryden confidence that reaches far beyond the pool deck.
"I always know that I am strong and I can stick up for myself," he said. His mom has seen that confidence grow in everyday life as well. "He volunteers to help people because he knows he's strong," she said. "He knows he can lift, carry or help someone when they need it."
Swimming has also become an important outlet. For Dryden, who shared that he has ADHD, practices provide a healthy way to channel his energy and decompress after school. "It really helps keep my energy under control," he explained. "Swimming laps and working out muscles is tiring."
A second home
Over the years, swim meets have created family traditions—early morning breakfasts before competitions, cheering alongside fellow parents, and even a favorite donut stop whenever the team travels through Sturgis.
His mom says the YMCA has become much more than a place where Dryden swims. "It's almost his decompression time," she said. "He gets done with school, comes here, and you can just see how much it helps him. Eight years later, he still loves it just as much."
That love is something Dryden hopes to carry forward.
One day, he'd like to coach younger swimmers—or perhaps even lifeguard at the YMCA that has played such a meaningful role in his life. He enjoys helping others, sharing what he's learned and encouraging the next generation of swimmers to discover what the sport has given him.
As Dryden prepares for high school, his goals continue to grow. But whether he's chasing another state appearance, learning new skills, or simply enjoying another afternoon in the pool, one thing hasn't changed.
The YMCA is where he discovered that confidence isn't measured by medals or times on a scoreboard—it's built one practice, one friendship and one lap at a time.
