Beginnings

I started swimming competitively in Nashville, TN for a summer league team at 5 years old.  I remember winning lots of races in those early years, especially as a 7 & 8-year old.  My family was always supportive, especially my Dad.  He encouraged me to always give it my best effort and never quit. One summer swim meet during the 50-yard butterfly, I stood up and grabbed the lane line  before finishing the race.  I was disqualified!  My father told me no matter what happens, just keep swimming as fast as you can until you reach the other end. Those "never give up" and "you can do it" words from my Dad always stayed with me!!!  When I was 8 years old, I placed first in the 50-yard backstroke in the Nashville City Swimming Championships.

When I was 11 years old, one of the boys who swam on my team beat me all  summer long!  I asked him how he had gotten faster and he said he swam AAU all year around.  I went home and asked my parents about swimming AAU and to my surprise they said yes!

I ran track one year and played one year of football but those other sports seemed to get in the way of swimming (the sport in which I excelled). So, I focused all I had into swimming year-round from that point forward.