Racing with the Devils: Jen Beckberger

December 17, 2007

The Arizona State swimming and diving team will have a blog a few times a month featuring the inside scope of the team. The first blog is from junior freestyler, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/mtt/beckberger_jen00.html">J… Beckberger</a>.<separator></separator>Two weeks ago we traveled to Austin, Texas for the annual Texas Invitational. The first morning everyone was not awake at breakfast and did not look ready to go. There seemed to be lots of nerves to start off the meet. After the car ride and Coach Kyle getting us lost (even though he used to live in Austin) and the CD the girls' team made, we were pumped and ready to go. The meet started off amazingly when in finals our 200 free relay team of <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/mtt/andrew_caitlin00.html">C… Andrew</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/mtt/brown_lindsey00.html">Li… Brown</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/mtt/perazzo_jess00.html">Jess Perazzo</a> and I won and posted the fasted time in the country. And to make it even better, we beat U of A in the process. The team just went crazy with excitement. Along with doing all this, we made the NCAA 'A' standard which guarantees us a spot as the meet in March. In addition to qualifying the four of us for March, one of our teammates, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/mtt/aubry_ashton00.html">Ash… Aubry</a> made her 'A' standard in the 100 butterfly. This puts us at five girls already qualified on the first day of the meet when last year we only had one. <separator></separator>On the second day, after getting more pumped and ready to go during our team stretch, we added a little more fun when <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/mtt/brown_lindsey00.html">Li… Brown</a> and I started up our usual craziness. We started dancing around like idiots to brighten up the team's spirits. Some looked at us like we were crazy, but who cares because we were having fun. On this day we had girls do a 200 free time trial to see who could swim fast enough to add up times to go to NCAA's on the 800 free relay. I still don't know who the winners are for that one. As for individual events, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/mtt/brown_lindsey00.html">Li… Brown</a> and I had second swims in the 200 free where we both posted best times that day.<separator></separator> As the last day of the meet rolled around, everyone was excited to be done and to go home the next day. I think this is what got most people through. It was sad, everyone was talking about going home and getting together to hang out as soon as they all got back to Tempe. Some of us stayed an extra day and compete in a long course time trial on Sunday. Brown and I kept our spirits up by dancing to MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This"; it was great. We both put an iPod headphone in our ear and danced along side each other in our knee socks and tank tops that the captains made for us. Our friends from other teams were laughing at us big time. So on the last day of the meet it turned out to be very exciting. Both <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/mtt/perazzo_jess00.html">Jess Perazzo</a> and I posted NCAA 'A' standard times in the 100 free in the morning and made the finals at night. Between us there was definitely a little rivalry going on. Neither of us wanted to lose to the other. This day also held one of our best relays, the 400 free relay. We placed second, made the NCAA 'A' standard again and again beat U of A. <separator></separator>Over all the excitement at the meet was roaring and everyone was super psyched. This meet was definitely one of the best meets since I have been to ASU. At dinner on the last night, everyone got a desert. It is very rare when coaches let you have dessert. It was nice. <separator></separator> <separator></separator>