Question and Answer Session with Mountain West Athletes

Apr 5, 2009

 

Coach Kendall recently had the opportunity to attend the Mountain West Conference Swimming and Diving Championships in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Although she was overwhelmed by the amazing suits, the incredible teamwork, and the outstanding speed of the athletes, she was able to sit down with a few of these great swimmers and ask them some questions about their swimming experiences. Listed below are their answers. Enjoy!
1) What skills are imperative to being successful swimmers in college?
Kelsey Dickson- Dedication & willingness to put the work in to be good.  
Jodi Ellis- Technique and balance in the water.

Coach Stan Crump- Underwaters. Hands down.
 
2) What do you wish you had been better prepared for going from Club or High School swimming to College swimming?
Christian Hanselman- The yardage, hands down.
Kelsey Dickson- I wish I had done more yardage or cross training because those first couple months were brutal. 
Jodie Ellis- I’m not sure if it’s possible, but the difference between club meets and college duel structure, college is more events in less time.


3) What age were you when you decided that you wanted to swim in college?  
Christian Hanselman- 15ish. I didn’t really take swimming seriously until after sophomore year. 
Kelsey Dickson- I don’t really know when I first wanted to swim in college but I definitely made that my goal when I was a freshman in high school. 
Jodi Ellis- I was 12.


4) Who is your favorite swimmer?
Christian Hanselman- I’ve always liked Matt Grievers and Aaron Piersol.  
Kelsey Dickson- Natalie Coughlin.
Jodi Ellis- Ryan Lochte


5)  What is your favorite set?
Christian Hanselman- Anything that involves underwater kicking is my [fave]. I have heard of a set called submarine where you have 2 people in the same lane and one kicks underwater while the other swims. The underwater kicker can’t surface until the swimmer is past him. That or 10x50’s kick halfway underwater each 25. 
Kelsey Dickson- I like a lot of different things, but I do enjoy 100 repeats. I used to do a set that went 40 x 100’s, 30x, 24x, to 20x in week cycles, with intervals that got easier while the average was expected to be faster.

Jodi Eliis- I don’t remember any good sets but I like sets that are interesting and have 25’s of fly in it.


6) Do you still get nervous?
Christian Hanselman- Only every swim meet. 
Kelsey Dickson- Yeah, I still get nervous, but I’ve learned how to control it better I guess. 
Jodi Ellis- Not so much, just when it’s a race that I don’t generally swim.


7) Do you drop time every time you swim?
Christian Hanselman- I wish, but I don’t. 
Kelsey Dickson- No, I don’t drop every time I swim. 
Jodi Ellis- No, although this year ended the four year drought of best times in breaststroke for me.


8) If you get bad grades do you still get to swim?
Christian Hanselman- Nope, you’re a STUDENT-athlete. 
Kelsey Dickson- I don’t think you do get to swim, I think you have to at least pass all your classes and get like a 2.0 or something really low like that...I wouldn’t suggest making that a goal in life to do get the most minimal grades though. 
Jodi Ellis- Never had that problem. But on my club if you didn’t maintain over a 3.0 at least you were on probation, here at BYU I think it’s not quite as high, but the classes are more difficult.