Tracy Shessler

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February 16, 2004

The conference championships have come and gone in a whirlwind three days and six sessions on swimming and diving. The meet was a huge success as Emory racked in its sixth consecutive UAA championship win, and best times were to be had all over the scoreboard.

It was great to have the meet at home again after last years conferences held at Case Western University in Cleveland Ohio where it was cold and snowing. Last weekend's rainy and dismal weather in Atlanta was still an improvement. Our pool welcomed back the UAA with stands filled with Emory parents and fans, walls filled with Emory banners and records, locker rooms filled with decorations, and a pool filled with fast times.

One of the excitements of the conference championships when they are at home is the decorations and themes created by the Emory parents group. This year's theme was "Where the wild swims are." Every Emory swimmer's locker was decorated by their parents with an individualized design and the rest of the locker rooms and the hallway leading to them were all decked out with decorations guaranteed to make you smile and get you excited for the meet.

It was an explosion of color both in the locker rooms and in our bright blue and yellow hockey jerseys provided by the parents. We stood out in the crowd as always as a unified, determined and unbeatable team with a flair for excellence. The meet always has an extra feel of excitement to it as you are supported from all directions, from the parents and friends in the stands, to your team and coached gathering behind you on deck. It breeds a sense of confidence as swimmers "ride the wave" of fast times created by their fellow teammates. This year's wave was more like a tsunami as shown by the number of UAA champions, NCAA cuts, and best times at the meet.

But the season is not yet over. This weekend brings the Emory Invite which has only gotten faster and faster over the years. This meet serves as the primary taper meet for some, an extended taper meet for others coming off of conferences, and a last chance meet for others to make NCAA cuts.

It's always an exciting meet because everyone gets to swim, and they get to swim their choice of events. With so many tapered swimmers anything can happen: best times, solidified NCAA cuts, and some breakthrough swims in less-than-typical events for some (Karyn Henderson's 100 butterfly will be a must see).

Though the exhilaration of UAAs is over, the women's enthusiasm continues, and with two more taper meets to go, we've only seen a fraction of what the Emory women's team has to offer.

Tracy Shessler is a senior from North Andover, Mass. She would love to answer e-mail questions from Emory recruits and fans.