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| Paige Thompson and Kim Vandenberg |
UCLA coaches and athletes will be on hand throughout the year to answer your questions in our "Ask the Bruins" Q&A sessions.
This week's featured guests are Paige Thompson and Kim Vandenberg of the UCLA Swimming & Diving team. Thompson, a senior diver from Phoenix, Ariz., was the Pac-10 Diver of the Month in both December in January, becoming the first female diver in the Conference to win the award in back-to-back months. She was a member of the U.S. Senior National Team in 2004 after placing sixth on the 3-meter springboard at the U.S. Championships. Vandenberg, a senior from Moraga, Calif., is a member of the USA National B Team and won the U.S. national title in the 200 Fly in 2004. She also won a silver medal in the 200 Fly at the 2005 World University Games. In her UCLA career, she has earned All-America honors 14 times.
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| Kevin (Walnut Creek): Kim,
How did your time as a fighting Mackeral (MTSC) helped prepare you to be a top NCAA swimmer? Also, as your NCAA swimming career ends what are your future plans? Good Luck at the NCAA Championships!! |
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Kim Vandenberg: The Fighting Mackerals (MTSC) was my first summer league swim team
back when I was eight.
I learned the basics of swimming and learned the most important part of
success is having fun with teammates and enjoying the process together.
After NCAA's, I plan to train for summer nationals to make another
international team. |
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| UK: Hi, my name is Amy i am 15 years old and currently go to school in britain, but in the future i wish to move to america to study at UCLA, i have read about the application needs and am trying very hard at school and at my sport to be accepted into UCLA, how hard did you find it to train and get good grades at the same time if this is how you managed to get accepted into the university. Thank you for taking your time to read my questions.
Amy Spinks Norwich England |
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Paige Thompson: Well it sounds like you are working very hard in high school, and that is the first thing that you have to do in order to put yourself in a position to be accepted into UCLA. Keep it up! Being a student-athlete here can be difficult at times to manage training and studying. However, since I always know what my athletic schedule will be, I always know exactly how much time I will have to study. Having a set schedule helps me keep up on my work. |
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| Jane (West LA): Now that you are both at the end of your college careers what are your plans for after graduation? Continue training, grad school, job, etc.? |
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Kim: I plan to continue training until summer nationals and get a job. |
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Paige: After I am finished diving this year, I will still have one year left of school, and I will have a lot of free time where I will be able to get more involved with campus clubs that I am interested in, such as Bruin Corps. At this point, I am thinking about teaching after I graduate, but that can still change within the next year. |
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| Laura, Moorpark CA: To Kim Vandenberg: What would you consider to be the best underwater set for a sprint butterflier who is trying to make her underwater's go from good to great? |
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Kim: 20 25's underwater on :35 fast butterfly kicks with fins |
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| Leo (Los Angeles): Do you plan to swim after you graduate this year with the goal being the 2008 Olympics? |
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Kim: I plan to swim until summer nationals to make another international team. If i make a team, I most likely will train till 2008. For now, I'm just
focusing on August '06. |
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| Joe Maloney: This is for Kim, do you eat your dessert first or save it or last? |
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Kim: It depends on what the dessert is. |
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| Tiffany (Santa Barbara): Hi Paige! Congratulations on your success! What do you do outside of diving to stay in shape? Do you do a lot of swimming and gymnastics or anything like that? |
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Paige: As a part of the diving program, we lift weights three times a week and do cardio training in order to stay in shape and get strong, which helps us in the water. Also we go into the gym two mornings a week and do standing front, back, reverse and inward somersaults, as well as lots of abs. The work in the gym allows us to work on the correct mechanics/movements for somersaulting so we can fix our movements without being scared because we are on mats. |
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| Jenny (LA): For both Paige and Kim: What has been your most memorable moment in your UCLA career so far? |
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Kim: Winning Pac-10s my freshman year. |
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Paige: My most memorable moment in my UCLA career was sophomore year when we had a dual meet against ASU (which is in my hometown). I had a lot of family and friends that came to watch, and I had the meet of my life! It was the first time that I finally competed well on three meter in a college meet, and I set a new personal best meet score. It was very memorable because all of my family, friends and my old coach were all there, and I was glad that they were able to see me diving at my best! |
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| Kelly (Westwood): Paige, if you were a swimmer instead of a diver, what would be your specialty? And Kim, same question, but vice versa. |
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Paige: Well, honestly if I were a swimmer instead of a diver, I would probably have to get the `dog paddle' or the `corkscrew' entered as an official event because I am really good at those two! Needless to say, I am not much of a swimmer. I give them much respect because all I am good for is about the 100 yard free; after that, I am bound to sink! I better stick with diving, where all I have to do is swim to the side of the pool after I dive. I think that I can handle that! |
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Kim: I would like to say the platform, but I would need a lot of practice though. |
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| Teri - Los Alamitos: Who were your role models in your respective sports? |
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Kim: Natalie Coughlin |
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| Chris (San Jose): Kim, what was your experience like at the World University Games last summer? |
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Kim: WUG was a great experience for me; it was my first international
competition, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I loved being part of the
team and representing the USA. I also enjoyed the competition and meeting new
people. |
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| Sara, Westwood: Kim:
You were undefeated in the 200 Fly this season.... How did you feel about that |
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Kim: I'm comfortable in the event and always enjoy the race, so it gives me
satisfaction knowing I've accomplished that. |
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| Leah, Sacramento: What was the biggest thrill of your senior season |
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Paige: My biggest thrill my senior season so far was winning the three meter event during at the UCLA vs. Stanford dual meet. It was really the turning point so far this year and was reassuring because it let me know that I am going to be ready for the Zone NCAA qualifying meet that takes place next week. |
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Kim: Swimming in the relays during my last dual meets against Cal/Stanford.
Nothing compares to the energy and excitement on the pool deck during
those last relays; it's something I'll always miss being a part of. |
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| Kimmie, Nevada: Paige: Is it scary diving off the Platform... I know you don't really compete that much on it, so I was wondering if maybe it was because it's really scary. |
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Paige: Platform definitely is scary, but the more I go up there the less scary it is. One main reason that I did not dive platform much was because in high school I hurt my back, so I could not go up there until that was healed. Then, sophomore year in college I was back up there again, but junior year I hurt my ankle at the beginning of the year, so we only focused on springboard. So mainly the reason that I was never a real tower diver was because I could not keep my body injury-free. |
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| Frank (Ventura, CA): Dear Kim, How young and where were you when you started swimming, and how do you think your early swimming years affected your stroke technique today? |
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Kim: I started summer league when I was eight back in my hometown (Northern
Cali). When I was twelve, I joined year-round swimming, and my coach was a
nut about stroke technique, so I was lucky to have that knowledge coming
into UCLA. Yet much of my stroke technique has changed since Ive been at
UCLA, and for the better. Constantly trying new drills can only improve
your stroke. Finding what's right for you is important; everyone's different. |
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| Felicia, Los Angeles: Paige: What is your favorite dive to do, and which dive is your least favorite |
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Paige: Well, my favorite dive changes from month to month, but I would have to say back 2 ½ somersault tuck because it is fun and easy for me to do. My least favorite dive would be a back dive on 3 meter. I really do not like the easy dives at all because you need a lot of control when you are doing them. |
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| Danielle, Long Beach: What would be the craziest dive you would ever try? |
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Paige: Honestly, if I think that a dive is crazy then I would probably not ever try it! Such as a back 3 ½ from the 10 meter platform - I think that it is a crazy dive and would definitely not try it! |
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| Melissa, Fontana: How do you and your teammates come up with all of the cheers you do at meets. What's your favorite one to do |
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Kim: We usually make them up in the pool during warm up or warm down. My
favorite cheer I made up this season, but it's too long to write down and
it wouldn't sound the same. My other favorite is probably "Bruin Territory" that we do at home meets. |
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Paige: Some of the cheers are passed down from team to team over the years, and some are made up each year by a few of our creative teammates. I must admit that I am still a favorite of the classic Bruin 8-clap! OHHHHHHHH 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, U...C...L...A...UCLA UCLA fight, fight, fight! Go Bruins. |
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| Delilah, Tampa: For Kim and Paige: After you are done at UCLA, where will you go? Both of you are not from Southern California.... Do you plan to return to where youare from? |
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Kim: I plan on staying down in LA. |
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Paige: After I graduate I am not sure if I will go back to Arizona right after, but I do not want to stay in LA. There is far too much traffic in LA for me! |
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| Jon, Los Angeles: How do your guns get so big? |
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Kim: HA |
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Paige: I owe it all to my amazing weight coach, Jon Fussell. |
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| Katie (Moraga): Hi Kim...I was just wondering if there is any special food you like to eat to fuel yourself during hard training? |
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Kim: Bacon hits the spot. |
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| Brynne W. (Newport Beach): Hi Kim,
I'm 10 years old and swim for the Aquazot Swim Team in Irvine. My favorite race is the 50 Fly. My goal is to swim in college. Did you do anything special in your training to help you to get to swim in college? Go Bruins!
Brynne |
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Kim: Just to keep a positive attitude and always remember what your goals are. Good luck! |
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| benny (hamberg, germany): hey kim, remember 80's night? |
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Kim: Why cant it be 80's night every night? |
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