| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | I remember I was four years old and riding my bike in the driveway. Between my driveway and my neighbors property there was about a 5-6 foot drop and I accidentally rode off of it. I remember it so vividly because it was the first time I had a rush of adrenaline and it was also my first memory. Luckily I only scraped my knees a little bit and got back on the bike without telling anyone it happened. I was a bit embarrassed |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | I identify with my father the most. I say this because we’ve have had a lot of similar experiences (as far as our athletic careers go) and he’s helped me a lot in dealing with failure. He seems to understand me better than my sisters and mother, but I’m still fairly close with them as well. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I admire thick skin in an individual. When I disagree with someone it’s easier to get along with them if they don’t get offended so easily and take it personally. Most of my friends and the people that are close to me can take criticism... and so can I. It’s a desirable trait to have |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | At an international competition, each country had their own building for their athletes. The American building was right next to Italy’s. And my room was on the top floor of the American building, so my roommates and I decided it would be a good idea to make paper airplanes and try to throw them into the rooms of the Italians who left their windows open. We succeeded and then some of the Italians decided to reciprocate and throw apples and bananas back at us. My roommates and I then thought it would be a good idea to continue this food fight and we threw half eaten sandwiches and power bars back at them. Long story short some people took it too far and floor fans and electric razors were being dropped off the building and we abruptly stopped before someone had the chance to get hurt. That was my first and only food fight. |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | I will eventually travel to either South Africa or Australia, since those are locations where great white sharks frequent. And I would like to free dive with them if I could find a guide. They’ve been my favorite animal since I was a kid and now I think they’re endangered and I would like to see one in person before they eventually go extinct. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | I don’t have an interest in having children, but if I did I would like to pass on some words of wisdom given to me by my father. I remember him telling me “if you can’t live with yourself when you fail, how can you expect anyone else to.” In context it essentially means not to put your negativity on to other people if you don’t get what you want, life’s not always about you. |
