What it Takes to be A D1 Student Athlete

 Today I am interviewing Molly Moore, a student-athlete at the University of Arkansas on the swim/dive team. She is an incredible swimmer and as a D1 college athlete, she has done so much training to get to where she's at. I used to swim for the same swim club as she did when I was younger and Molly's dedication and hard work inspired me so much! Molly is incredibly talented and I hope you enjoy this interview!

Tell us about yourself!

Hello! My name is Molly Moore! I am a junior at the University of Arkansas majoring in Human Nutrition and Dietetics as well as a student-athlete on the swim/dive team! I am originally from Springfield Missouri and in my free time, I love to bike, hike, read, and find ways to bring joy to others!

Explain your swim career. When did you start swimming? Why did you stick to swimming? What made you want to swim in college?

I started swimming competitively when I was 7 years old with Drury University's swim club program, SPA. I grew up surrounded by athletes and swimmers as my mom, aunt, and uncle all swam in college for Drury! I learned to love the individual competitiveness of the sport and being fully responsible for my results. Being encouraged and motivated by both of my incredible parents was monumental to my mindset. In eighth grade, I decided I wanted to be more serious about my athletic development which grew in high school and eventually led to swimming at the college level! From the beginning, my goal always was to swim in college, and getting to swim D1 and in the SEC has been an amazing experience!

Explain your training as a college athlete. How often do you workout? What are swim practices like? Do you do training besides swimming?

I have a pretty full workout schedule! We swim 6-8 am six days a week then have weights and a second swim in the afternoon three days a week! Practices are usually the hardest in the morning with recovery in the afternoons! I swim the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, and 100 backstroke, so I train mostly in sprint group but I get to "jump" into other training groups to get some endurance work in as well! I truly love getting to spend time in the pool and finding ways to get better!

In your opinion, what sets apart a high school swimmer versus a college swimmer?

A LOT haha. I think mindset and attitude toward hard work is the biggest factor that sets college apart. If you walk in the door to the pool every morning not wanting to be there, not only will your coaches notice but your team will feel the burden of your chosen attitude! Physically it is very tiring! Getting up at 5am, swimming, going to class all day, lifting, swimming, doing homework, then going to bed at 10:30pm can be incredibly draining in every way! That's why I personally think mental fitness is just as important as being physically fit! High school swimming is wonderful and I learned a lot! Most high school club teams set their swimmers up well to enter into the college swimming culture (especially SPA)!

What are some goals you have for your swimming career in 2021? How has the craziness of 2020 impacted your swim goals, training, etc?

Being a college athlete, in general, was a whirlwind! When everything got shut down, we were a week away from going to NCAA's in Athens, Georgia. It was so tough being ready for what we had been working all season for! I know every sport had to handle the quarantine differently but when the pool closed it gave me a great opportunity to find unique exercises to use the same muscles that swimming does! My mom (Linda Moore) owns a pilates studio in Springfield so we did a lot of strength work with her, and my extended family would meet for socially distanced "Fam runs"!

In 2021, I am looking forward to any opportunity to race. We are having a few small dual meets in January then as a team, we are hopeful for the chance to race at SEC's in mid-February! Looking further into 2021, the Olympic Trials will be held in June therefore spring training will carry right into summer! We are not promised each day so I am just focusing on what I can control, COVID has been helpful in building that mindset!

What's your favorite part about being a college athlete? What is your least favorite part?

My favorite part is definitely the opportunities and experiences it brings! I have gained some of my best friends by being teammates with them! I am proud to say I am an Arkansas Student-Athlete!

My least favorite part is having free time to be spontaneous! Getting up at 5am each weekday definitely has its disadvantages haha!

What is the dynamic like for your swim team? In your opinion, what makes a strong team?

30 girls is a lot, so there are many differences and dynamics! As a whole, we are fun, goofy, and we laugh a lot! Some days can be tough and there are definitely ups and downs but I love where I am and I can't imagine swimming anywhere else! 

I believe a strong team consists of a bunch of like-minded people willing to give their all for the common goal. As an individual sport but with a team atmosphere it is great to get to set my own goals and set them to achieve for my team (NCAA results and qualification, highest GPA, etc).

What challenges do you face (could be medical, physical, mental, environmental) that possibly impede your swimming capabilities? Are there any challenges in the past that you had to overcome?

I have had the blessing to not have any major or minor injuries that have affected my performance! The largest obstacle I have had to overcome is my mind. I touched on this in an earlier question but it is the biggest struggle of min. I am a realist so if something goes wrong, I think about it and how it affects everything else. It has taken some mental training to think past that and believe how my body can perform despite how I feel.

How do you balance your swim career with life, school, hobbies, etc?

Lots of planning! I make a wild amount of lists to keep all the things in my head in order! I also make sure to make time for things that are important to me! Like spending time with the Lord and reading my Bible! It takes a bit more time management and organization to get everything during the day, but it's worth it!

Why did you choose to major in nutrition and dietetics? What do you plan on using your degree for?

In high school, I began going to a sports nutritionist to become knowledgeable about food and it helped me a lot! Not only did my personal performance improve but I mentally felt stronger with having the understanding to make the right food choices throughout the day! I felt inspired and want to help more people become aware of how impactful food is in their lives! 

I plan on using my degree in sports nutrition! I don't know specifically where that will take me yet but I am excited to see where it leads to help others!

Were there any false assumptions about nutrition that you had before you started your education? How has your mindset on nutrition and health changed?

I feel like I knew the simple facts about nutrition, and to not rely on a diet but to know what my body personally needs. When I came into this major, I was very excited to learn more in-depth about all of it! It has been delightful!

My mindset has changed in a way that I understand the detailed reasons

How has your major impacted your swimming career? Have you applied knowledge that you learned to yourself, such as eating healthy?

I actually go to my swim/dive sports nutritionist for information! I do not want to apply what I know quite yet and I love to learn from her! I definitely have gotten snack/meal ideas from my major, but if I am specifically eating for practice of a meet I will seek advice!

One thing that I have enjoyed about my major is getting more comfortable in the kitchen! I love discovering new healthy recipes that I can make and also share with others! I am currently on a toast kick and finding ways to make toast with a bunch of yumminess on it!!

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this interview!

Gabby