Women's Swimming: Senior swimmer motivates team
Tyler Diedrich, Contributing Writer
Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: Sports
Almost every team has an athlete who serves as a motivator, sacrificing personal glory for that of the team. For the Bonnies women's swimming team, that athlete is senior Krista Carlson.
Carlson has embraced her role as a motivator by encouraging teammates and always trying her hardest in the pool, while keeping the team's goals first.
"Personally for me it's just to set good examples and swim my hardest in the pool and improve my times," Carlson said. "For the team (we) definitely want to place better at A-10s, (and) I think this year we can definitely do it. We just have to be mentally tough (and) focused this year … as a whole we're going to be a lot better."
Coach Lance Brennan said he is glad to have an athlete like Carlson on the team, and said her examples really pay off for the team's success.
"She's somebody you're just happy to have on the team because she doesn't receive the accolades (or) do it for the attention; she's (swimming) just because she wants to help the team," Brennan said.
"A lot of times, from a coaching standpoint, when they graduate and move on, those are the people (like Carlson) you remember the most because you know they're doing it for the right reasons. The attitude that she sets forth every day is better than the average swimmer I have on my team."
After suffering an ankle injury that forced her to miss most of her freshman season, Carlson has fought back to land a spot in the lineup and get back to swimming her favorite event, the 100-yard breaststroke.
"It's tough because freshman year you want to come in and prove yourself, but at the same time I couldn't because I wasn't really allowed to swim," Carlson said. "It's something I've done since I was little, and freshman year I couldn't do it at all. Finally being able to do (the 100-yard breaststroke again) really motivates me."
Brennan said the lessons Carlson has learned during her time at St. Bonaventure have helped her as a leader and a role model to her teammates.
Carlson has embraced her role as a motivator by encouraging teammates and always trying her hardest in the pool, while keeping the team's goals first.
"Personally for me it's just to set good examples and swim my hardest in the pool and improve my times," Carlson said. "For the team (we) definitely want to place better at A-10s, (and) I think this year we can definitely do it. We just have to be mentally tough (and) focused this year … as a whole we're going to be a lot better."
Coach Lance Brennan said he is glad to have an athlete like Carlson on the team, and said her examples really pay off for the team's success.
"She's somebody you're just happy to have on the team because she doesn't receive the accolades (or) do it for the attention; she's (swimming) just because she wants to help the team," Brennan said.
"A lot of times, from a coaching standpoint, when they graduate and move on, those are the people (like Carlson) you remember the most because you know they're doing it for the right reasons. The attitude that she sets forth every day is better than the average swimmer I have on my team."
After suffering an ankle injury that forced her to miss most of her freshman season, Carlson has fought back to land a spot in the lineup and get back to swimming her favorite event, the 100-yard breaststroke.
"It's tough because freshman year you want to come in and prove yourself, but at the same time I couldn't because I wasn't really allowed to swim," Carlson said. "It's something I've done since I was little, and freshman year I couldn't do it at all. Finally being able to do (the 100-yard breaststroke again) really motivates me."
Brennan said the lessons Carlson has learned during her time at St. Bonaventure have helped her as a leader and a role model to her teammates.
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