Q: What was your journey to becoming a swimmer?
A: When I was little, I did swim lessons in New York, and I did a bunch of sports. And I was really bad at all the other sports. And then I moved to Santa Barbara, and my mom went like, “Oh, she’s a California girl now. She must be a great swimmer.” And basically, my dad was like, “You have to get up off your butt. Get a hobby.” And so then I went swimming, and I wore a wet-suit to my first practice. It was really embarrassing, to be honest. And then I just really enjoyed it.
Q: Why have you stuck with this sport for so long?
A: It gives a nice sense of accomplishment, like you set your goal and then when you achieve it, it feels really good. And I don’t know, I just like pushing myself in the workouts, and I can see myself becoming stronger, so it feels good to keep beating myself. And I just love the community so much.
I mean, I’m unmotivated a lot, but I just try and keep the bigger goal in mind, and try and go through the motions. Like, I just get into a habit, and then that way I can go through the motions without even having to think about it.
Q: What are your biggest accomplishments in swimming?
A: There have been a few championship meets that I would say I’ve been pretty proud to qualify for.
Q: What’s the greatest challenge you faced in this sport?
A: Probably just that it requires a lot of discipline. My favorite part is the rewarding feeling you get, but the discipline it takes to get there isn’t so fun.
Sometimes I don’t want to get out of bed at 4 am to go to practice. Actually, I never really want to do that. And when you finish, you’re like, “Oh wait, I have to do that again tomorrow.”
Q: Finally, do you have any advice for younger female athletes, or specifically female swimmers?
A: I think my advice would just be, especially when you’re younger, try not to be too hard on yourself. I know it’s hard because you work so hard in practice, and then, for example, if you have a bad meet, it’s hard not to beat yourself up. But not every meet can be a good one, especially when you’re still young. Just make sure you’re trying to focus on the community aspect, because your friends will always be there for you if you have a bad time.
