Why does Caeleb Dressel carry a scarf? Real reason behind his blue bandana

Almost all swimming fans have noticed Caeleb Dressel's phenomenal performance in multiple top-tier competitions, and almost all of them have witnessed a blue patterned bandana wrapped around his hand. It was there when he swam to glory, and it was there when he received his numerous medals standing atop the prestigious podium.

Many athletes believe in good luck charms, totems, or objects that they think will bring them luck. But for the seven-time Olympic gold medalist, this is a far more profound symbol than ordinary lucky charms. The bandana belonged to Claire McCool, Dressel’s high school math teacher, who died of breast cancer in 2017. Dressel considers McCool to be one of his closest people and hence wears her bandana to every significant swimming competition.

Read on for more details about the prolific swimmer's special object of affection.

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The heart-warming story of Claire McCool and Caeleb Dressel

The original owner of the blue patterned bandana, Claire McCool, was the high-school math teacher of Caeleb Dressel. He was in her class twice, once as a freshman in her geometry class, and later as a senior for statistics. Dressel was already an accomplished swimmer by the time he was in high school.

McCool was an instrumental support system during the one-year break Caeleb Dressel took from swimming in his senior year. Dressel called her "Mama." During Caeleb's break, she whole-heartedly supported him. Speaking about his swimming break, Caeleb Dressel said:

"I don’t regret taking time off at all. It was really hard getting back into shape, back into the groove ... I needed the mental break … I was a 17-year-old kid, a top recruit coming out of high school, a lot of talk around me about expectation. I wasn’t used to that. I was like any high schooler, trying to figure out my life … Who knows where I’d be if I didn’t take that break?"

Of course, his career hit a new high after his return from the break, and since then, he has considered McCool as one of the most significant figures behind his prolific return to swimming. During his 50-yard freestyle race at the 2016 SEC championships, he wrote "McCool" on his cheek as a tribute to the woman who stood by him consistently.

Speaking with WUFT in 2016, Claire McCool said:

“I had never felt that level of support and just to know that you mean that much to another human, another person, especially someone that’s not in your family...I keep going back to the word humbled. I’m just so humbled by it all and so appreciative that I’ve got him in my corner."

She did witness him win two golds in Rio and then the extraordinary seven gold medals in the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, shattering multiple records and becoming a national hero. But soon after that, she succumbed to cancer.

Her husband, Mike, gave this bandana to Caeleb as a symbol of the bond the two shared. Though Caeleb Dressel does not talk to the media much about McCool, he once commented about this blue bandana, saying:

"There's no worldly possession that means more to me than that bandana...I smell it. I kiss it. I don't care. I sleep with it next to my head every night."

Caeleb continues to dominate the swimming world with his records and relentless winning streaks. His achievements include world records in the 100 meter butterfly (long course and short course), 50 meter freestyle (short course), and 100 meter individual medley (short course).

Stay tuned for more updates.