Marco’s Swim Sisters

What are the odds of two sisters from Marco Island becoming Division I swimmers like the Burt sisters, Maddy and Caelan? Kamal Farhat, the sisters’ longtime swim coach at the Marco Y, answers that question with a question. 

"They are very talented, you know?” Farhat said of the Burt sisters. "I think Maddie wanted to swim with her sister for one more year. And they did it at the same school, too. And that's good news for them. And I'm happy for them. They deserve it because they'revery good kids and good athletes at the same time. They've even helped me in the camp for the last couple years.” 

Older sister Maddy swam for the University of Arizona for four years, then joined her younger sister Caelan, who was a freshman on the Texas Christian University (TCU) swim team. 

"I had an extra year of eligibility because of Covid,” Maddy said. "So, I decided to take that and enter the transfer portal. I knew my sister was going to TCU, so that was primarily the only school that I looked at. I spoke to a few others, but at the end of the day, I decided to transfer to TCU to swim with my sister and earn my master's degree.” 

Their year together at TCU was the first time the Burt sisters attended school together since their days at Tommie Barfield Elementary when Maddy was in fifth grade and Caelan was a first grader. Caelan was happy to have her sister there when she joined the swim team at TCU. 

“Going into college athletics is really scary and it's really hard and everything's super new,” Caelan said. "But having Maddy there to kind of guide me was really helpful. And I just knew that if I had any problems, my big sister was there and I could ask her any question. She kind of walked me through everything, and it was so much easier having her there. We hadn't been in school together in so long. We were apart for four years while she was at Arizona, and the distance made us grow so close. We became best friends, so being together for one year at TCU was so fun. Like the most fun I've ever had.” 

Life as a Division I scholarship athlete is not easy. Some say the feeling is like the school owns you when you’re on scholarship. 

“That's definitely true,” Caelan said. "The coaches are so great, and I became super close with my coaches, but there are expectations that they have for you. So, it can be hard mentally sometimes to meet the expectations. And you have to perform. That's why you're there. It's so much pressure. And you have to prove that you're worthy of being there. It was really, really challenging. And it's not like only a physical challenge. It's super mentally challenging because we train 20 hours a week on top of school, on top of treatment, and just taking care of ourselves. So,it's a huge challenge. But I think it'sdefinitely worth it. It's super rewarding." 

Maddy agrees. 

"I know everybody says college athletics is hard,” Maddy said. “It isn't easy. It's a grind. Yes, that'svery true, but there's no easy way to explain it unless you are actually immersed in it yourself. And it is so individualized. Yes, you are all on a team together, but outside of that team, everybody has their different class schedule, their different majors, different homework, class projects. You have your whole life outside of the specific team practice that you also have to learn how to effectively manage. While you're in athletics, you have different injuries, you have to feed yourself, you have to do homework, you have to take care of your body, recover, and still show up every single day for your team. So,it'sdefinitely a challenge. But like Caelan said, it's so rewarding. It is so worth it. The lifelong friends and connections that you make over the course of those four years, or however many years you're in, it is something that you can never get back again." 

Of all the sports, swimming seems to be one where burnout is most often cited. Both sisters have dealt with symptoms of burnout. 

“It's really, really easy to feel like you're gonna burn out,” Caelan said, "especially when we're training 20 hours a week, and it feels like all we're doing is school, swim, lift, and then you sleep. I definitely had moments where I've come close to burnout, but I think the support system that I had at TCU is what helped me through all of that and kind of get past it and realize that there's more to what I'm doing than just swimming in school. Like there's a purpose.” 

Maddie faced burnout after suffering a serious injury. 

"I went through a shoulder injury my third year of college and that was super tough,” she said. "And I definitely felt the symptoms of burnout. But the support staff that I had, the athletic trainers, my coaches, they all helped me through the injury and I recovered, and I was able to come out the other side still motivated to continue throughout my career." 

Swimming is a year-round proposition when you’re a Division I scholarship athlete. There’s not much time off. 

"Probably three weeks,” Maddy said. "It's very highly encouraged to stay throughout the summers and train with the coach. And most kids do. They want you to continue to be pretty disciplined throughout the summer. Swimming is really year-round.” 

Entering the world of big time college swimming was eye-opening for both sisters, for different reasons. 

“The biggest surprise was definitely the schedule and time management,” Maddy said. “You'll do a morning swim and then you'll do an afternoon swim. Being on your own, the independence is great, but if you don't know how to manage your time effectively, you are going to struggle. But the support system that you have there is incredible. You have support from the coaches, from the staff, from the athletic trainers, from your teammates. You have sports psych. Everybody is there to help you along the way. And all you have to do is ask for it. And they are more than welcome to be by your side and aid you through it." 

"I was so surprised when I got thereat how amazing the community was,” Caelan said. “Swimming on Marco my whole life, I didn't have many kids my age, and never had a super big team or a super big swim community. When I got to TCU, the swim team community was amazing. I instantly became super close with everyone. All of my best friends are on the team, and everyone is so supportive and knows exactly what we're going through. So,it'sreally easy to be there for each other and support each other.” 

Through all of the hard work and sacrifice, there have been highlights for both swimmers. 

"My biggest highlight would definitely be qualifying for NCAAs my junior year at Arizona,” Maddy said. "I got to go with my best friend there. We swam the same events. We went together with the coaches. We were able to travel to Knoxville and swim at the University of Tennessee, and that meet is so surreal. There is nothing like it, just being in that atmosphere, watching those girls swim. It's insane. It's indescribable. It was definitely the biggest highlight of my whole career." 

Caelin’s highlight is a simple one. 

"It was honestly just being able to swim with Maddy,” Caelan said. "I've always looked up to her as a swimmer and obviously always wanted to be like her because she's my big sister. So being able to swim with her, swim against her, swim on relays with her just felt like such an accomplishment. I felt that I kind of made it to her level." 

Both sisters greatly appreciate the impact Farhat had on preparing them for the rigors of collegiate swimming. 

“Swimming with Kamal prepared me so much for the discipline that's needed,” Maddy said. "And basically, the fact that coaches are not there to be your best friend and to hold your hand along the way. When you show up to college, especially at the Division I, Power Five level, like Caelan and I did, you're expected to have discipline, you're expected to be motivated. There are a lot of expectations that come with being a collegiate athlete at that level. And Kamal definitely prepared me - and I'm sure Caelan - for that. He's great. Love that man. He's been our coach for probably 15 years now. He’sdefinitely hard on you, and it teaches you to get your work done, that’sa nice way to say it.” 

Caelan feels the same way about her longtime coach. 

“Kamal is like family to us,” Caelan said. “We've known him our whole lives. And he knows us better than anyone else does. And he can push us more than anyone else can." 

And that includes their Division I college coaches. 

“Yes,” Maddy said confidently. "Because of the history he has with us. We grew up with him. We grew up here." 

"In this little pool,” Caelan interjects. "Yeah, we really did. We were here every day." 

"He's kicked us out,” Maddy said. "He's given us hugs. He's seen us cry. He’s seen our happy days." 

“Like graduation,” Caelan adds."Yeah, he's been everywhere.” 

Farhat couldn’t be prouder of his star students. 

"Yeah, they're awesome,” Farhat says. "They're really good kids. And I'm proud to train them and to know them. They always did very well. They’re hard workers.” 

Having students like the Burt sisters is one of the payoffs for Farhat, who has trained swimmers at the Marco Y for 24 years. 

“Absolutely,” he said with his trademark smile. "It’s good to have that. And usually, I try to give them an opportunity to give back to their community. They help the kids. They treat the kids very well. I'm proud of them. They'revery good people. That's important. They'revery nice ladies. You know, they went to college, one finished, the other one is in the process. They did their swimming. One's still probably going to swim next year and the year after. It's a good moment for them. I'm glad for them.” 

It’s a good moment for their coach, too. 

"You know why I do this,” Farhat asks. “It's because I love teaching the kids and coaching them and being part of their life somehow.”