Q&A with Swimmer Eric Cullen
2/25/2009 7:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
Feb. 25, 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland will welcome some of the nation's best when they play host to the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Swimming and Diving Championships Wednesday through Saturday at Eppley Recreation Center Natatorium. Before the championships get under way, senior Eric Cullen has been kind enough to answer a few questions for us and offer the fan a look into the life of a student-athlete.
Cullen has been the consummate leader for a tough Terps squad this season. After competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Trials this past summer, Cullen has brought a fresh perspective back to College Park for his final season. Cullen is a senior kinesiology major from Severn, Maryland.
Umterps.com: With the ACC Championships being held in College Park, what can fans expect from the team this weekend?
EC: They can expect to see the best competition our team has had this year. Unlike other teams in the ACC, we have not rested until now. While most of them rested for a mid-season meet and posted best times, we continued to train. Meaning that the other teams don't know how fast were going to swim. We have all worked hard this season and I believe that the fans will be able to see this through our times.
Umterps.com: Is there any significant home "pool" advantage?
EC: There are definitely benefits of hosting ACCs this year. We swim in our pool almost every day of the year so we know everything about it and how it feels during a competition. Also, it's nice that we don't have to worry about traveling and that we get to continue sleeping in our own beds rather than having to get used to a hotel bed.
Umterps.com: How will preparation change for the ACCs? Or do you follow a strict prep routine?
EC: We have all noticed a big change in practice over the past week or so. Rather than swimming 12,000 yards a day, most of the team is down to about 3,000 a day. So we are getting a lot more rest and trying to stick to a healthy lifestyle.
Umterps.com: How was it competing with the best swimming athletes that America has to offer in the Olympic Qualifier?
EC: It was definitely one of the best experiences of my life. Having the chance to swim against the world's top swimmers in an arena full of people was very rewarding. Swimming doesn't get a whole lot of attention, so it was nice to attend a meet that looked as if it were a basketball game.
Umterps.com: What was it like to compete and train at the Olympic Training Center?
EC: It's one of those trips that seem horrible at the time, but amazing when you look back at it. While I was there, I had some of the hardest practices ever, but finishing these practices and knowing that it's preparing you for big meets like ACCs is what makes it so rewarding. Also, the food at the training center is ridiculously good.
Umterps.com: As an upperclassman, looking back on your time in College Park, can you describe for the fans what your experience has been like?
EC: There have been a ton of ups and downs, but I have to say that my time at Maryland was more than rewarding. It was difficult to have a new coach just about every year during my college swimming career, but in the end I feel that this was a good thing. I have had the chance to work with and be critiqued by seven well-respected coaches that helped get me to the point I'm at today. I have accomplished a long list of goals, gained many new friends, and I'll leave with a degree in Kinesiology. Overall, I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Umterps.com: In a perfect world, how would you want this weekend to turn out? Personal records? Team Goals? Pool Records?
EC: In a perfect world, I would have our team winning ACCs, but this is a long process that will take some time to get to. Personally, I just want to do what I can for the team and get some personal bests.
Looking forward to next year, what do you hope to accomplish by time you graduate?
EC: I'm actually on track to graduate this May and have a job lined up as a chiropractor's assistant. After gaining some work experience, I plan on attending chiropractic school down in Florida.
