Buff & Blue Forever: Dylan Arzoni
5/10/2022 1:18:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
A senior from Manchester, England, Dylan Arzoni is a three-time All-Conference performer with GW swimming and diving who has helped the men's squad to three conference titles over the past four years.
In February, the veteran swimmer qualified for the championship final of the 200 free and also scored in the 100 free as part of the program's latest title-winning effort.
As he nears graduation, Arzoni, an International Affairs major with plans to pursue a career in journalism, takes a look back in the latest installment of our Buff & Blue Forever series.
It seems like a lifetime ago, but the first time I stepped onto campus, I knew GW was the place for me.
Back in the fall of 2018, I joined a group of men and women who came from all over the country and the world - each bringing different personalities and cultures to the team. Yet, we were all like-minded and possessed a shared vision of where we wanted to take the program.
Four years later, the Class of 2022 has continued to push the legacy of the classes before us and finished by making history. I am truly grateful to have done it with them.
Our success has undoubtedly contributed to the joy of being part of the program. Three times in the past four years our men’s team has celebrated winning the A-10 title, and this year was the best yet, getting to share the moment with the women after a historic sweep at the conference meet.
However, it’s the relationships that are most memorable to me. The bonds we have formed are for life because of the unforgettable memories we have made during training and competition, as well as outside of the pool.
I also believe the tight-knit nature of our team has hugely contributed to our team's achievements. It has endured as classes have come and gone, and even through the difficult period of the Covid pandemic.
Without these family-like bonds, I don’t believe we would have reached our goals, and even if we had, achieving them would have been nowhere near as fun or rewarding.
The past four years have also given me the opportunity to develop leadership and communication skills, build confidence and discover what it truly means to be a team player.
My personal growth has been facilitated through interactions with my teammates – both older and younger – who have inspired and pushed me beyond my boundaries. The skills I have gained are attributes that I will take with me not only into my professional career but also through the rest of my life.
Earlier this year, two of my passions came together when I was given the opportunity to interview U.S. Olympian Katie Ledecky on-stage at Lisner Auditorium in a conversation about her life and career.
As a journalism student and someone who has spent close to ten thousand hours in the pool over the last decade, this was an incredible evening and something I wouldn’t have had the chance to do if I was not on this team, at this school – it was my Only at GW moment.
As I reflect on four years at GW, I’ll say the following.
Being a student-athlete is not always easy. It’s demanding, exhausting and pushes you to your limits. It is, however, the most rewarding experience I have had in my life so far. It’s taught me countless lessons and given me friendships for life. And for that, I’ll be forever grateful to my parents, teammates, coaches and everyone I’ve encountered in the sport of swimming during my 12-year career, and of course here at GW.
Raise High!
Dylan Arzoni
More in the Buff & Blue Forever series: