Story Links
March 6, 2003
by Second Year Stephany Kwon
Interview with Head Coach Mark Bernardino
Question: First of all, Congratulations on the great performances at both ACC championships. That’s five consecutive years the men have captured the title, and the fourth title for the women. How are you and the team spending spring break?
Bernardino: Swimmers never have a spring break. For us, spring breaks are for more training.
Question: So, between the ACC and NCAA championship, swimmers don’t get a break and exercise everyday? Don’t they need a break for better performance?
Bernardino: Nope, swimmers are used to this. Swimmers are tough! Going back to your question regarding the spring break, we are now training to reestablish aerobic base and building our endurance ability for the NCAA championship. Two weeks prior to the NCAA, we will start working on racing.
Question: I see. I can tell the team’s hard work is part of what led to the victory. What do you think has contributed the most to such triumph?
Bernardino: (after pondering for a while) Well, pride is the most important factor. Athlete’s pride in themselves, their work ethics, competitiveness, physical and mental roughness, and willingness to accept challenges all add up to help bring about good results. Another factor is heart, and the teams, especially the women’s team, have that driving them.
Question: Do you ever get more stressful or feel more pressured because you have been doing so well for years?
Bernardino: Yes, there certainly is more subtle pressure when we are doing well, but I think that the pressure can act positively on athletes. All athletes need some pressure to do their best and be honest with their practices. That kind of pressure will not only help the athletes reach their personal and team goals, but also help the program keep going and improve in the long run.
Question: Finally, I know the NCAA championship is coming up in about a month. How would you anticipate the results?
Bernardino: Well, the NCAA championship is going to be one of the most competitive competitions. Our women’s team has finished in the top ten for several times already, and our men’s team has been ranked 11th. This year our realistic goal is to be ranked in the top 15 at least for both men and women’s teams, but our ideal goal is to be in the top ten for both or one of the teams.
Interview with Third Year Luke Anderson
Question: Congratulations for winning the 100 meter freestyle for 3 consecutive years! Were you able to anticipate the victory beforehand, and if so, when?
Luke: Though it is impossible to anticipate complete victory, having the confidence to secure that victory makes it possible. When you step up on the blocks before a race knowing that you are going to win, you are going to be hard to beat. The moment you let the slightest hint of doubt enter your mind, you have already set yourself up for failure. Supreme confidence in oneself and one’s abilities is the only means of securing victory.
Question: What is the best attribute of the UVA Men’s Swimming & Diving Team that contributed to the 5 consecutive years of winning the ACC Championship?
Luke: Though it is hard to pin down one single thing as the catalyst to our long-term success, I believe UVA Swimming was built upon and relies on tradition. Very few teams at UVA have alumni travel thousands of miles to watch their current team compete. Current swimmers use the success of past teams, and the traditions that they formed to catapult themselves into the future.
Question: What has been the most challenging problem you faced as a student-athlete, and how did you overcome the problem?
Luke: The most challenging problem I have faced as a student athlete is maintaining momentum throughout my career. After two highly successful years at UVA, I entered my third year thinking that I would be able to maintain the same success level with minimal effort. Finding the confidence to be the best that you can be, and maintaining that confidence over four years is possibly the hardest thing an athlete can do.
Question: I can’t even imagine how hard it would be to be good in both academics and in sports. How do you deal with the stress that comes from swimming competitions and schoolwork?
Luke: I have been lucky enough this past year to train with John Alton, a martial arts master whose “Unified Fitness” program teaches stress reduction through energy manipulation. The work I have put in with him has enabled me to both eliminate stress from my life and harness internal energy to further my swimming.
Question: What is your plan after graduation?
Luke: Right now all of my goals are set on making the 2004 Olympic team. I will be red-shirting my fourth year of eligibility and moving to California this May to train for the 2004 trials. I will return to UVA to complete my college career in the fall of that year.
Interview with First Year Rachael Burke
Question: Great job on winning the 1650 meter freestyle in the ACC Championship! Were you able to foresee that you were going to win, especially when Cara Lane was racing too? (Cara Lane has won the championship for the last three years.)
Rachael: Before the race I didn’t know if I’d win or not, and honestly, it wasn’t my main focus. I knew that Cara and I needed to go 1-2, and that’s what we did. Don’t get me wrong. It was thrilling to win, but I think it would have been equally thrilling to be second if Cara had won and I still swam a lifetime best. Being part of a team means getting those important points, and Cara and I knew that if we had 1-2, no matter who won, we had done what we needed to do. Like I said, it was fun to win, but I haven’t come close to truly “beating” Cara Lane. Cara Lane is my role model. She has accomplished so much, and being able to train with her and become close friends this year is amazing.
Question: What have you seen so far that you think is the best characteristic of the UVA Women’s Swimming & Diving Team that led to the victory?
Rachael: The best attribute we had this year that contributed to our win was definitely our HEART! It was a year-long goal to win the title and everyday we reminded each other that we had the most heart, energy, enthusiasm and physical ability than anyone out there-and that we wanted it more!
Question: As a first year student you have been probably adjusting to a new environment at the University. What are the major differences you’ve found between competing in high school and college?
Rachael: The immediate and most outstanding difference I found between competing in high school and college is the sense and commitment to TEAM. In high school swimming was much more individualized, and coming to UVA and becoming a part of such a great team with such amazing heart makes you want to be that much better- not only for yourself but for the team as well.
Question: What has been the most challenging problem you faced as a student-athlete so far, and how did you overcome the problem, or how do you plan to do so?
Rachael: I think I can say that the most challenging problem I’ve faced as a student-athlete here at UVA is balancing athletics and academics. It is especially tough to visit TA’s and professors during office hours because of practice time. I had to sit down, make a solid schedule and stick to it in order to accomplish everything I had to do each day. It was rough in the beginning, but I live and learn!
Question: Besides the time management issue, I can imagine that there are many others you have to deal with as both a student and an athlete. How do you try to reduce stress?
Rachael: When I get stressed out from too much work or frustrated because I’m not swimming as well as I should one day, I kind of just need to take a breather (alone). It’s kind of funny because I literally tell myself it isn’t as bad as it seems, and I must find a way to put a smile on my face and laugh. I think a major reason I got to where I am today is because I go to practice everyday smiling, laughing and having a good time. If it’s not fun and it’s not making you happy, you’re not going to improve.