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Gator Watch
Filled with rosters of champions and all-Americans, the University of Florida men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are out to prove that they are champions outside of the pool as well.
In the pool under head coach Gregg Troy, the Gator men return nine all- Americans this year, and the women bring back eight. In early season rankings, head coach Gregg Troy’s teams both appear well on their way to another great season. In early season rankings, the women are number two in the nation and the men are number six.
Impressively, this group is leaving its mark outside the pool as well. Led by senior Sara McLarty, these Gators will be remembered as much for their community involvement and academics as they will be for their athletic accomplishments.
McLarty, who swims distance freestyle and the individual medley, is President of SAAC (the Student Athlete Advisory Committee) and Zach Wilcox, a diver on the men’s team, is Vice President.
SAAC serves two purposes; its primary function is to represent the student athletes to the University of Florida Athletic Association, then with the SEC (South Eastern Conference). As part of the SEC’s Student Athletic Advisory Committee, they represent student athletes at the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) level.
“We work on issues that help further the student athlete’s needs,” McLarty said. “We help make sure that they get what they need to graduate and be prepared for the real world.”
The second part of SAAC’s function that really intrigues the swimmers and divers is the community service. Nicole Bolt, a senior diver, helps coordinate SAAC’s involvement with Goodwill Gators. She has been involved since her freshman year, starting with a program called Champs.
“I was mentoring an elementary school student – someone who was having trouble in school,” she said. “The more time I spent with him, the more he opened up.”
In addition, for the last three years, Bolt and others athletes have been involved in Gator Club, visiting the children at Shands in the mornings. McLarty says the Shands visits are great for the children they see, and for the UF students, as well. “They light up when they see us,” she said, “and we light up, too.”
Wilcox says SAAC tries to organize regular community activities. “One of the most successful events is our Field Day,” he said. “We bring elementary school students here, and play sports games with them in the field for a few hours.”
Justin Zumsteg, a junior, who swims the 200 butterfly and the 200 backstroke, also found time to be an SEC academic honor roll selection last year. With a dual major in astronomy and physics, he is organizing an astronomy group for fourth and fifth graders.
“We’re going to get them over to the student observatory, let them look through the telescopes and hear from a UF professor,” said Zumsteg. “We’re also organizing a pool party for them.”
With 400 athletes, Wilcox says the idea is to get a few athletes involved from every sport. “But there’s probably more pressure on the swimming and diving teams to be involved because Sara and I are the leaders.”
The teams also have given themselves another challenge, he said. Last year, they managed a 3.2 grade point average, and this year they are trying to surpass that.
McLarty says all this activity, especially this year, when many of them are also prepping for the Olympic Trials, is difficult, but well worth it. “We take a full load of classes and practice a lot. But this community has been very good to the athletes at UF. They sit there in the stands for us.”
When she looks back on her days at UF, McLarty says that the extra-curricular activities will be as important as everything else. “Classes will remind me of being a student, swimming will remind me of being part of a team, and community service will remind me of Gainesville, and how good it was to me.”
Remaining Home Schedule
MEN & WOMEN
Jan 3 - Kentucky - 10 am
Jan 23 - Auburn - 7 pm
Jan 24 - Alabama - 3pm