1) You swam at NAC in the early-mid 2000s. Can you tell us a little bit about your career/background at NAC?
My family moved to the Nashville area from California in July 2000 and I graduated from Brentwood High in 2005. My parents ultimately chose theNAC program and I was very glad! The success of the program spoke for itself, but NAC’s reputation was already well known in the area, so it was an easy decision. Oh, and my family knew of Coach Morse so that sealed my fate. My sister, brother and I all swam for NAC and my mom even helped coach green and white group for a while. I started out at NAC in Senior 1 with Brad Kale and moved to Senior 2 and swam with Coach Morse.
2) Was there a specific swimming moment (at practice, a certain meet or race, etc.) that helped you make the decision to stick with NAC and see swimming through as far as you did?
Not sure of a specific moment, but I knew from an early age that I enjoyed swimming and liked being in the water. My mom was a collegiate swimmer and is a triathlete and got us into the water early. We were lucky to have a lot of great coaches and meet many great friends while at NAC. I think ultimately that was the biggest reason I kept swimming. I kept improving while swimming under Morse and I am sure that also kept me motivated.
3) You went on to swim collegiately at UNC. Can you tell us about your experiences in Chapel Hill and how NAC helped prepare you for that stage?
I loved Chapel Hill and attending the University of North Carolina. I am grateful for the opportunity to swim there and be a part of the program. In high school, I was looking for a program where I would be athletically and academically challenged and could make an impact. NAC certainly prepared me for UNC. I was recruited as a distance swimmer at UNC and felt
that NAC’s program helped prepare me for the mid-distance/distance program at Carolina. At the tail end of my senior year of high school and during my freshman year of college I had two shoulder surgeries. Coach Morse, my parents and family, the coaches at Carolina, and several doctors at Elite all helped me along the way; by answering my questions, through training, and rehab. Their support along the way helped me finish out my swimming career.
4) Since it’s the holiday season, are there any crazy Christmas training sets you ever did that stick out in your mind?
I remember what we called he** week. We practiced two a days for what seemed like two weeks. Teams came in from out of town to train with us after Christmas. They felt like some of the toughest workouts of the year, but they helped prepare us for our bigger spring meets.
5) So what are you up to these days now that you’ve hung up the goggles?
After college at UNC, I moved back to Nashville to get my Masters in Accounting and I have been here ever since. I currently work for Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) as a financial analyst. I’m not swimming much anymore, but hike and run these days to stay in shape.
6) Last question – favorite NAC memory… Ready, go!
I don’t think I can name just one favorite NAC memory. Some of my closest friends were from NAC, they felt a lot like family. I am sure many of the swimmers today and parents can attest, but you see some of your NAC teammates more than you hang out with friends from school. There is a sense of camaraderie among swimming, sport, and hard work in general. When you go through 8-9 practices a week together you certainly push each other to be better, build strong friendships, and create lasting memories together.