Hard practices toughen team

By By Kelly Reynolds

Monday, February 7, 2005

Rylan Howe

Senior swimmer Becca Zarazan comes up for air during the 200 yard butterfly. Zarazan took first place in the event earning nine points and helping Kansas to a 196-99 victory against Iowa State Saturday afternoon. Zarazan was one of six seniors honored prior to their final home dual meet.

The recent momentum of the Kansas swimming and diving team left Iowa State drowning in its own waves. The Jayhawks defeated the Cyclones and walked away with their first conference victory, leaving the Cyclones 0-3 in Big 12 Conference swimming.

Although the Jayhawks were 0-4 in the conference leading up to the Iowa State competition, the victory topped off the season, adding to the momentum the team had experienced since coming off its training trip during winter break.

“Anytime you win within the Big 12, you’ve got to enjoy it,” coach Clark Campbell said.

Prior to Saturday’s meet, the six senior women were recognized in a bittersweet ceremony that set the atmosphere for a victory.

The team supported one another in the last attempt to have a couple extra qualifiers before heading to College Station, Texas, in two weeks.

Campbell said the team learned a lot about swimming an emotional meet when it visited Arkansas. The Jan. 29 meet was senior day for the Razorbacks, and they put their emotions aside and still swam well against the Jayhawks.

“We kept our emotions in check and came out ready to perform,” Campbell said after the meet. “We learned at Arkansas and used them as an example for today.”

The team has won four of its last five meets since returning from training in the Bahamas, but now that the Jayhawks have finished the dual meet season with a splash, it’s time to prepare for championship swimming.

Both Campbell and first year diving coach Eric Elliot said they thought the team was prepared for the Feb. 23 championship.

“No one should underestimate how prepared the team is to swim fast at conference,” Campbell said. “It’s really amazing. All 23 swimmers and three divers are flying high. We’re tired, but we’re healthy.”

Elliot and the divers will compete in the Big 12 Championship at the end of February and then turn around and head to the Zone-Diving meet at the beginning of March.

Elliot said he was impressed with the way things had come together for the divers.

“Our goal is to peak going into conference,” Elliot said. “We’ve put some new dives together, and we just need to sharpen them.”

As for Campbell and the swimmers, they will endure one more week of tough practice to increase the fatigue that they have already experienced this season. Campbell calls this training method a “crash cycle.”

Following the hard week ahead, the Jayhawks will begin tapering for the championship, resting up and swimming less yards per practice.

Campbell said he expected that after some rest, the team would be set to have some qualifiers for the NCAA championships, which are in March, as well as a couple for the 2005 World Championship Trials at the beginning of April.

Part of the Jayhawks domination Saturday came from their race victories and depth in the pool. They won every event in the meet except the three-meter diving and 200-yard Individual Medley. They also placed second, third and fourth in numerous races.

“First places win dual meets, but depth is what scores points at conference,” Campbell said.

The Jayhawks have the depth that is needed for success, and with a little rest after a four-meet winning streak, the Jayhawks will take their momentum to Texas and challenge the rest of the Big 12 on Feb. 23.

Edited by Lori Bettes

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