One of the special things about many college athletics teams is the relationships between the student-athletes. With their love of the sport used as an initial bond, many will find similar interests that go beyond the competition to help form what some may call a second family.
For Luke and Seth Musser, the Western Kentucky University swimming team is just that-a second family, a home away from home. However, don't think that when the brothers return home to Overland Park, Kan., that they get peace and quiet because returning to a house that holds seven siblings can be anything but that.
"It wasn't a typical household at all," said Luke, the second oldest of the Musser family and a senior for WKU. "We were all homeschooled, so I saw everyone every second of every day, all day. On top of that, we all swam-from kid No. 1 to kid No. 7-so we all went to the same place. It was hectic, but it was fun and worth it. It was very interesting growing up with that many siblings."
Even though they are related and have some similar interests, Seth, the third oldest and now in his sophomore season, said that they are each individualized.
"Luke and myself, even though we look alike, we are not alike in any way at all," said Seth. "I'm more social I guess you could say while he can entertain himself with video games, and he is in engineering so he loves seeing how things work. He can take apart a paintball gun and see how the aerodynamics work along with other things that I don't know about."
And what about the dynamics of the siblings that now range from the youngest at age 11 to the oldest who just received her Ph.D.?
"For the most part we get along, but we have also had our wrestling sessions here and there," said Luke.
Luke was the first Musser to make the jump into the water at Bill Powell Natatorium for WKU. Winner of the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the Sun Belt Conference Championships over his career, Luke wasn't even considering WKU in the beginning.
"You are allowed five recruiting trips, and I think this was my fourth one," said Luke. "One of the coaches called me up, and I said I would schedule a visit. I came down and immediately clicked with the team. Everywhere else were pretty good universities, but the team unity and closeness I really related with. I went in not expecting much and came out with the world. Pretty much after the trip I knew where I was going to end up."
In his junior season, his second family at WKU merged with his biological family, as Seth made his way to the Hill.
"I was definitely interested in WKU," said Seth. "I had been here a few times just to move Luke into the dorms. I got to know the team pretty well, and my recruiting trip was awesome. Out of all the teams that were recruiting me, WKU was the most bonded together. Everybody knew everybody, and everybody hung out together, and that was what I was looking for. Something that was close to my family and resembled my family values, and I would always have someone to talk to or hang out and go out to eat with. It's just like a second family."
As younger Mussers come up in the swimming world, recruiting them to WKU as a family tradition may come along with it; however, right now, Luke and Seth are focused on Conference USA Championships that start on Wednesday, February 20 in Houston. The duo has done amazing things together while at WKU, including competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials this past summer, but winning a team conference championship isn't one they have done together.
The WKU men's swimming team has won 13 league titles in its program history, with the last coming in 2010. Along with their fellow Hilltoppers, Luke and Seth will look to close their time together at WKU with a win while continuing their second family's tradition of excellence.
