North Carolina State University Athletics
TIM PEELER: Oh, Canada! Freshman Ward Makes Impact
2/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Swimming
BY TIM PEELER
But, as the Wolfpack women’s swimming and diving team heads to Atlanta for the ACC Championships this week, Ward is hoping to make a different name for herself, as one of the best breast-stroke specialists in school history and a potential Olympian for Swimming Canada.
“I think she can be the best breast-stroker we’ve ever had here at NC State,” said NC State men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach Brooks Teal. “The school records are not out of her reach. I think making the NCAAs is within her reach and being a legitimate force in the conference.”
Not only will Ward begin breast stroke competition today at the
“I have to finish in the top two at the Canadian trials,” Ward said. “I would of course love to do that, and that is what I am shooting for, but I don’t know if that will happen. I have really high expectations for that meet, but to be honest my focus right now is 2012. That will be one year after I graduate, and hopefully, I can stay here and train and see what happens.”
This has been a big year of change for Ward, and not just because she is on a new team, at a new school and in a new country.
Ward was recruited by Teal and his staff two years ago, but she lacked a math credit to be eligible under recently revised NCAA rules. So she spent an extra semester in high school, passed the math class and called back to NC State to see if the offer still stood.
“It also worked out to my benefit, because I wasn’t exactly sure where I wanted to go. I had schools that were offering me (scholarship) money. I am really glad I waited because I feel like I am a perfect fit for this school.”
But it was not a decision to be taken lightly. Many Canadians look down on exporting athletic talent to
Ward is one of about 850
“I caught some flak from people at home, who thought I should stay in
“I had to use my swimming to get an education, and that’s what NC State offered me.”
There’s also that matter of distance: Ward is used to swimming meters, not the NCAA-standard yards and she believes that has affected her overall times during her first collegiate season. She’s also used to swimming long-course races, instead of collegiate short-course events. That has also affected her performance in a sport that often comes down to fractions of seconds.
“I came in with the expectation of what times I should be swimming, by converting my times in meters and long-course races,” Ward said. “They are not quite what I thought they would be. I expected them to translate better than they have. So I am kind of disappointed in that. I had really high expectations for myself.”
Teal explains that the switch from long course to short course affects times dramatically, especially for Ward.
“With her stroke style, she really benefits from the longer course, because it allows her to get into a rhythm and the flow of her stroke,” Teal said. “It’s a major adjustment because you only have half the distance to get into your rhythm and then you have to turn and do it all over again.
“She has done a good job making that adjustment, but it is still a work in progress.”
She was also shelved earlier this season because of a knee injury, but has rebounded from that and come back stronger.
“She has done some of her best swimming here recently,” Teal said.
For now, Ward is happy that she has finally arrived at NC State, and hopes that she can continue to develop her skills to help the Wolfpack at this year’s ACC Championships and beyond.
“I really enjoy being part of the program,” Ward said. “There’s a lot more camaraderie on a college team. Everyone who is here really wants to be here. No one’s parents are making them come. The team backs each other 100 percent. We focus on team goals, not just individual goals.
“When someone else accomplishes something the team is really happy for them. That, to me, is one of the best things about being here.”
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
