Spring Break
No season's end for these GWU swimmers
Jacob Conley
Issue date: 3/25/09 Section: Opinion
The Gardner-Webb swim season concluded in February, but Mallory Weggemann and Tucker Dupree are still hard at work in the pool.
Under the tutelage of GWU swim coach Mike Simpson, both athletes hope to represent the United States in the London Paralympics in 2012.
"There is really no off season," said Weggemann. "It seems like we are always training for something."
Weggemann, a recent paraplegic, does not mind the extra work, however, and relishes being back in the pool. She returned to swimming in April 2008.
"I missed it and had been doing it since I was 7," said Weggemann. "And after what happened I realized I had to get back in the pool."
This realization was solidified when Weggemann attended the Paralympic trials in her home state of Minnesota as a spectator.
"I talked to some of the athletes, coaches and parents and they encouraged me to compete", said Weggemann.
An athlete who Weggemann met at another competition was future Bulldog teammate Dupree, who participated in the Beijing Paralympic games in 2008.
"He's the one who told me about Gardner-Webb," said Weggemann. "I love it here so much I don't mind being so far from home."
Dupree is a veteran of international competition. The visually impaired swimmer, a Raleigh native, has set 25 world records, most of them at the Beijing games.
"I got to swim in the same pool as Michael Phelps," said Dupree, a note of pride in his voice. "And I eventually want to hold all the records for visually impaired swimmers."
While swimming in international competition is challenging, both athletes admit that competing against able-bodied swimmers on the collegiate level presents unique obstacles and opportunities.
"I have to slow down going into the turn because I can't see the wall," said Dupree.
"That's when I get taken but I still manage to hang with the pack most of the time."
As for Weggemann, her biggest challenge is to keep her legs from fishtailing in the water.
"Swimming is a lot harder now than it was before", said Weggemann. "I have to put in a lot more work than I used to."
Their work ethic has not gone unnoticed by their coach.
"What these guys do is amazing", said Simpson. "They are always looking for ways to improve technique, get stronger and swim faster."
It is this striving for perpetual improvement that will drive Weggemann and Dupree to success in the pool, whether it is swimming for the red and black of the Bulldogs or the red, white and blue of the United States of America.
Under the tutelage of GWU swim coach Mike Simpson, both athletes hope to represent the United States in the London Paralympics in 2012.
"There is really no off season," said Weggemann. "It seems like we are always training for something."
Weggemann, a recent paraplegic, does not mind the extra work, however, and relishes being back in the pool. She returned to swimming in April 2008.
"I missed it and had been doing it since I was 7," said Weggemann. "And after what happened I realized I had to get back in the pool."
This realization was solidified when Weggemann attended the Paralympic trials in her home state of Minnesota as a spectator.
"I talked to some of the athletes, coaches and parents and they encouraged me to compete", said Weggemann.
An athlete who Weggemann met at another competition was future Bulldog teammate Dupree, who participated in the Beijing Paralympic games in 2008.
"He's the one who told me about Gardner-Webb," said Weggemann. "I love it here so much I don't mind being so far from home."
Dupree is a veteran of international competition. The visually impaired swimmer, a Raleigh native, has set 25 world records, most of them at the Beijing games.
"I got to swim in the same pool as Michael Phelps," said Dupree, a note of pride in his voice. "And I eventually want to hold all the records for visually impaired swimmers."
While swimming in international competition is challenging, both athletes admit that competing against able-bodied swimmers on the collegiate level presents unique obstacles and opportunities.
"I have to slow down going into the turn because I can't see the wall," said Dupree.
"That's when I get taken but I still manage to hang with the pack most of the time."
As for Weggemann, her biggest challenge is to keep her legs from fishtailing in the water.
"Swimming is a lot harder now than it was before", said Weggemann. "I have to put in a lot more work than I used to."
Their work ethic has not gone unnoticed by their coach.
"What these guys do is amazing", said Simpson. "They are always looking for ways to improve technique, get stronger and swim faster."
It is this striving for perpetual improvement that will drive Weggemann and Dupree to success in the pool, whether it is swimming for the red and black of the Bulldogs or the red, white and blue of the United States of America.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
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posted 12/24/09 @ 10:35 AM EST
While swimming in international competition is challenging, both athletes admit that competing against able-bodied swimmers on the collegiate level presents unique obstacles and opportunities. (Continued…)
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posted 3/28/10 @ 6:56 PM EST
That looks like lots of fun. When I was in college we didn't had so many fun activities.
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