The Relay (Episode 1)
10/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Oct. 7, 2010
New to MGoBlue.com this season is "The Relay," a roundtable discussion with a group of U-M women's swimmers and divers as they prepare for the first meet of the season. This week, U-M opens the season against Minnesota at 5 p.m. on Friday (Oct. 8) inside Canham Natatorium.
The inaugural edition of "The Relay" will feature the three captains for the 2010-11 women's swimming and diving season: Natasha Moodie, Kristyne Cole and Rachael Ropeik. Among the topics of discussion this week are the season opener on Friday against Big Ten rival Minnesota and the new faces that dot this season's squad.
First Leg: Describe in one word (if you can) about your level of excitement in finally kicking off the 2010-11 season?
Natasha: I think everyone is pretty excited, especially the freshmen because they finally get their chance to show what they can do. The competition will be challenging, but we are eager to get in there and show off everything that we've learned in practice and for the parents to come back and watch us compete for really the first time since March.
Kristyne: There's definitely a lot of excitement, especially against a really great Big Ten team in Minnesota. It's a great rivalry and it will be a very good chance for us to measure ourselves against top-level competition. I think everyone is really excited and ready to show up.
Rachael: There's a lot of anticipation. Everyone worked really hard all summer and in the preseason and now everyone is really excited to see where they are right now.
Second Leg: The three of you were appointed as team captains for this season. When taking a look at this year's team, what's the biggest strength you see collectively?
Natasha: Our biggest strength is we really care about each other. We are a very tight group of ladies, so we are willing to work that much harder for each other and not just for yourself. The team is bigger than one person.
Kristyne: I agree with Natasha. I think everyone really cares a lot about each other and we are one big family. Another one of our strength is that we have a lot of great leaders on this team; even the underclassmen are doing a good job of leading -- when to step it up, how to step it up, how to pick up others in difficult situations. I think that's an important aspect.
Rachael: I think we have a very good work ethic on our team. Even with all the new faces on our squad, people are really putting in the time and giving 100 percent effort every single day. That is what's going to make us successful and start the season off on the right note.
Third Leg: You've got some experienced coaches leading the way for you once again this year. For Kristyne and Natasha, you take guidance from Jim and Stefanie, who together have been here for many years. And Rachael, you are getting coached from KZ Li, who is in his first year here at Michigan but has a ton of international coaching experience. What are some of the things you have learned from your coaches as you prepare to lead your team in the pool this season as captains?
Natasha: For me, it's getting your priorities straight. Don't always put your work into the times that you see on the board during a meet or at Big Tens. That doesn't define you. It's what you do in the pool every day that defines you.
Kristyne: One thing I learned that Jim stresses especially is that it's not about the destination, it's about the journey. Just living every moment and training as hard as you can in the moment and living in that moment so your future will be good. Never really get down on yourself.
Rachael: KZ is a very, very good technical coach and he has a great eye for that aspect of diving. We've all broken down our skill set and learned completely new techniques. It's been a little bumpy so far, but we're going to be better for it in the end because KZ has a lot of strength in his ability to teach that.
Anchor: Out of the 30 swimmers and divers on the roster this season, more than two-thirds of them are sophomores or younger. How much promise and potential do these freshmen and sophomores have a couple years down the line?
Natasha: There's a ton of potential in that sophomore class. Last year, a lot of them were just trying to get acclimated to our new training cycle. A lot of them have never trained year-round before or lifted weights like we have before. Now that they have a year behind them, coupled with our new training cycle, I think they will break out this season. As for the freshmen, they have adjusted well, too. I see improvements every week and as time goes on, they are getting more and more comfortable in our process. I've seen it the last two to three weeks we've been training. I see a lot of promise in that group, as well.
Kristyne: I definitely agree with Natasha. I see the potential there in practice. People are swimming their minds out and pushing each other every single day in the pool. As Jim says, you don't want to be the rotten egg, and I think that drives us.
Rachael: It's so nice having our underclassmen on the team because their level of excitement is so high. They want to learn everything they can from KZ. They work really hard and it brings a lot of positive energy to our team, which rubs off on the rest of us. They have so much potential for greatness and it's just exciting to see where they are at right now and where they are going to go.
