What are the team’s goals for the remainder of the season? What are your personal goals?
The Conference Championship meet is less than two weeks away and it is always a fight to the finish! Overall, the team is amazing this year and we have great potential to place high. The women’s team goal is to get second place overall. My personal goals are to make it to the consoles heat and finals in my 100 and 200 backstroke events.What is your favorite event during a swim meet? Why?
I love to swim backstroke, especially the 100 back because it is purely a sprint to the finish race – it always keeps my adrenaline pumping!
What goes through your mind during a race? Is there a song that you replay in your head? Do you count your strokes?
My pump-up song before my backstroke races is “I Like to Move It” by Reel to Real – it’s the perfect rhythm to move my arms to. During a race I always imagine that I’m only a hair ahead of my competitors – knowing that you could win or lose a race by less than a tenth of a second really keeps me motivated to give all that I’ve got.
How many calories do you burn during a typical practice, given your best estimate?
According to an online calorie calculator, I burn from 1,300 to 2,000 calories in one 6,000-yard practice – that even surprised me!
At what age did you start swimming? Was there someone who introduced you to the sport?
I swam in fifth grade for one year and then picked the sport back up in high school. My best friend in high school told me to join the team freshman year and I have been swimming ever since. I’ve been involved in so many sports I’ve lost track, but swimming has always been special to me.