Nearing the Final Lap: 海角社区 Chemical Engineering Seniors to Swim in Olympic Trials
December 5, 2019
BATON ROUGE, LA 鈥� Studying engineering can be a challenge, but 海角社区 Chemical Engineering
seniors Nicole Rozier and Helen Grossman are working to conquer an even greater one.
The pair, who are on the 海角社区 Swimming & Diving Team, recently qualified to compete
in the Olympic trials next summer, proving that discipline and hard work can earn
you a degree and a chance to compete in the Olympic Games.
Rozier and Grossman began swimming competitively at the ages of 6 and 7, respectively, though they actually learned to swim much earlier. Rozier, of Coeur d鈥橝lene, Idaho, began taking swimming lessons when she was just 2 and swam competitively throughout high school. When it came time to choose a college, she toured five campuses to find the right fit.
鈥淚n swimming, you get five official visits to colleges your senior year. So, I visited 海角社区, Ohio State, Boise State, University of Utah and Northern Arizona University,鈥� Rozier said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e seeing if you fit in with the team and the team is seeing if you would fit in with them. When I visited 海角社区, I just felt so welcomed and part of the family, even though they were all strangers. The coaches were really nice and I liked what they stood for and the culture. Choosing 海角社区 was the best decision I ever made and I haven鈥檛 regretted it for a second.
鈥淚 came to 海角社区 as an undecided major because I really didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do,鈥� Rozier said. 鈥淎fter talking to people, I realized I鈥檓 very passionate about chemistry. I really enjoyed it in high school and I also have a lot of passion for math and physics. I figured chemical engineering was a good combination of all the classes I really enjoyed.鈥�
Grossman, of West Long Branch, N.J., first swam at the age of 5, since she lived close to the beach. She, too, swam competitively in high school and came to 海角社区 thanks to a scholarship and a love for the 鈥渃ampus and atmosphere.鈥� She chose to study chemical engineering because she liked science and math and had a physics teacher in high school who told her she would be a good engineer because she has good problem-solving skills.
鈥淚 definitely wanted to challenge myself in school, so it seemed like a good choice,鈥� Grossman said.
Besides their full schedule of chemical engineering classes in Patrick F. Taylor Hall, Rozier and Grossman also fit in swim practice at the 海角社区 Natatorium. A normal week includes 20 hours of swimming, six days a week (including Saturdays), along with three hours of gym time. Three days include 鈥渁 double,鈥� which is two practices in one day. Other days, the pair practices once in the morning or afternoon. Their gym workouts include stretching, Olympic lifts and prehab to prevent injury to the rotator cuff and shoulders.
Though studying and swimming are a lot for Rozier and Grossman, they are able to strike a balance.
鈥淥n the days we travel, I plan out a month in advance,鈥� Grossman said. 鈥淭he weeks I鈥檓 not missing class, I try to be as vigilant with my work as I can and get as ahead as I can. It gets stressful around midterms and finals when you have to put in some late nights and we still practice during finals week.鈥�
Having nearly the same class and swim schedule is a benefit to Rozier and Grossman, who have been side by side since coming to 海角社区.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely good to have someone who understands all of the challenges we go through,鈥� Grossman said. 鈥淓veryone on the team understands the difficulty and time restraints put on us. Nicole really understands the difficulty of our major and swimming. It鈥檚 good to have someone who relates to all of that and who I can talk to.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檝e been in classes and practice together for all four years at 海角社区, so it鈥檚 really exciting to go to trials with her, too,鈥� Rozier said.
During the Olympic trials, set to take place in Omaha, Neb., June 21-28, 2020, Rozier will swim in the 200 meter individual medley, though she also swims the 200m butterfly (as well as the 200m backstroke and 200m breaststroke if needed) for 海角社区. She has competed in the SEC Championships and made it to the preliminaries and finals every year. Rozier also competed in the U.S. Nationals in July-August 2019 in Palo Alto, Calif. Her best time was 2:16.52 in the 200-IM.
鈥淚 want to qualify for the NCAA in March, which is the 30 fastest collegiate swimmers in the U.S.,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 would need to train for another three months after the Olympic trials, though.鈥�
Grossman will compete in the 100m butterfly at the Olympic trials, though she also does the 50m and 100m sprint freestyle for 海角社区. Her best time in the 100m fly is 1:00.68. She also competed in the SEC Championships and made it to the preliminaries and finals each year for 海角社区. Grossman tried to qualify for the 2012 and 2016 Olympic trials but was disappointed when her times weren鈥檛 fast enough. This year turned out differently, however.
Both are excited about the thought of making it to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo but aren鈥檛 getting their hopes up.
鈥淚t would be really, really cool to compete in the Olympics,鈥� Rozier said. 鈥淚f I could finish out my career in the Olympics, that would be incredible. Honestly, I鈥檓 just proud of myself for making it this far. I was able to push myself and work as hard as I could, so to get there is something I鈥檓 really proud of. My parents are also really excited. They鈥檝e been with me the whole time, always coming to my meets and cheering me on, driving me to practices at five in the morning. They鈥檙e excited to have something special come out of it. They will be at the trials.鈥�
鈥淕oing to the Olympics would be an unrealistic goal for me,鈥� Grossman said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just excited to have made the trials and be able to compete. This will probably be the highest level I ever compete at. It will be a really good way to end my swimming career. The trials will be the most Olympians I鈥檒l ever be around, so it will be a really exciting atmosphere. My parents are really excited they finally get to watch me at the trials.鈥�
Supposing Rozier and Grossman don鈥檛 make it to the Olympics, they plan on using their chemical engineering degrees to find jobs in Houston, which has become an unofficial hub for former 海角社区 swimmers.
鈥淥nce the trials are over, I鈥檒l be done swimming,鈥� Grossman said. 鈥淚 think it will be a really hard transition. I definitely think I鈥檒l always swim but I鈥檓 going to take a small break. It would be awesome to spend some time in Houston to live near people I already know.鈥�
鈥淢y dream would be to live in Houston, since I鈥檝e been there many times for meets and it鈥檚 really homey and nice with a lot to do,鈥� Rozier said. 鈥淩ight now, I鈥檓 looking for a job where I can start getting experience and find out what I enjoy doing, since I wasn鈥檛 able to get an internship while swimming over the summer.鈥�
With all of the time spent in the water and classroom, one wonders just what keeps these ladies going.
鈥淚鈥檓 a very competitive person, so it鈥檚 helpful to have swimming as an outlet for any frustrations,鈥� Rozier said. 鈥淎 big part of it is being part of a team. They鈥檙e like my family. Being on a team with people you鈥檙e super close with is really fun and something to look forward to every day. You鈥檙e practicing with your best friends.鈥�
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