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4 p.m. Diving / 5 p.m. Swimming
Swimming & Diving
vs Boston College
Getting to Know Nick McCrory
11/13/2009 8:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
DURHAM, N.C. - Duke's freshman diver Nick McCrory recently took the time to sit down with GoDuke.com and answer a few questions about many aspects of his athletic and academic careers. McCrory is undefeated on both the one- and three-meter diving boards through the first four meets of the season and set the school record in both events.
GoDuke.com: How and when did you first get involved in diving?
Nick McCrory: I have been diving since I was about seven years old. I actually started off as a swimmer, everyday just swimming back and forth. I would see the divers at the other end of the pool and it just looked so much more entertaining. So I eventually made the switch and ever since it has just been a lot of fun. Also, I used to watch the Olympics when I was a little kid and seeing the divers I always knew that's what I wanted to do.
GD: What has been your greatest achievement in diving?
NM: I would say my biggest achievement was qualifying for the World Championship team for the 2009 World Championships. That was a big step up for me.
GD: What were the contributing factors that brought you to Duke?
NM: Well, a lot of reasons. A lot of it was because my coach [Duke diving coach Drew Johansen] is here whom I have been working with for the past two years. We really made a ton of progress together so I just wanted to continue that. And secondly, Duke was like the perfect balance for me between academics and athletics. A lot of the other schools I was looking at, I knew I would be more focused on diving but here was the perfect balance that I needed.
GD: What kind of competition do you expect to face and what are your goals for the season?
NM: There are a couple of divers in the ACC who will provide really good competition. At the ACC [championships] and NCAA's it will be even bigger, so there will be a lot more divers that I will be competing with. My goals are obviously to score as many points for Duke as I can. I want to come out of this season a three-time ACC and NCAA champion. But we will see how that goes. That is obviously my goal but it is a different environment from what I've been used to competing in. It's just more of a team feeling, like it's not about diving for individual achievements. I also have a team backing me up so that is good feeling.
GD: Which of the three diving disciplines is your favorite?
NM: The tower definitely. I am a platform specialist and I really enjoy springboard too, it's just for the past couple of years [platform] has been my ticket everywhere. But this year I've gotten a lot more springboard training.
GD: What does an average day of practice include?
NM: Practice varies from day to day because some days I have weights also. But I would say that I spend about three and a half to four hours a day in the water and on the days that I have weights it will be like another hour. Also, I'm in physical training for my knees and that is usually like another hour three times a week. So it's a lot of, if not diving, diving-related activities.
GD: As a student-athlete, how do you balance practice and schoolwork?
NM: That's usually what my nights are devoted to; just doing my work and everything.
GD: What does it mean to you to hold two Duke diving records?
NM: It felt really good to come out the first couple of meets and set some new records. Because next year I will be able to see my name on the [record] board and see something every day at practice and think 'okay, I want to beat this score next week.' And so it's going to push me to compete against myself a lot more.
GD: What does your national and international diving schedule look like for the upcoming year?
NM: My next competition is going to be Spring Nationals in February and that's going to be at Ohio State, I believe. That actually is going to be the selection for World Cup for this year. So the top two from every event at Nationals will make the World Cup team and then after that, I'm not really sure what international events I will be doing this spring. USA Diving will announce teams after Nationals so we'll find out then but hopefully there will be some good ones on the list.
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