Junior John Newell was one of the N.C. State swimmers who impressed at the All-North Carolina Invitational in Greensboro on Oct. 4-5. Newell won the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 50.32.
The Technician spoke with Newell about his performance and the team’s outlook on the rest of the season.
Technician: What do you take away from your team’s performance at the All-Carolinas Invitational in Greensboro last week?
Newell: “I feel that we did really well. We had a lot of key people on the team step up and pull some fast times. We wanted to see what the freshmen could do with this being their first meet of the season. They did really well. They stepped up and showed how they wanted to provide for this team and score points at ACCs, which is the big meet at the end of the season.”
Q: Describe the chemistry between team members, even with not everyone competing in the same races.
A: “Our chemistry goes back a long time. It goes back far enough that we still do traditions on a day to day basis. We still do certain songs, we say certain things in between each swim or before someone gets up on the blocks. Before every meet we have a specific team routine.”
Q: Describe your experience at the 2012 Olympic Trials.
A: “The Olympic Trials were probably one of the biggest meets I’ve ever been to, and the biggest stage I’ve ever been on. A lot of swimmers can go to it, but you have to become eligible by meeting certain requirement times. I felt that it was an amazing experience, and I can’t wait to possibly go back in 2016.”
Q: When you were growing up, did you have a person who inspired you to swim at the college level?
A: “My push definitely came from my dad, he pushed me to become the best. He also inspired me to start pushing myself to be able to swim in college. He was always saying ‘You can make it’ or ‘You can earn a scholarship.’ He taught me that if I kept my mind to it, I would succeed.”
Q: What are your expectations for yourself and the team this season?
A: “The season’s just begun. We have our first dual meet against Virginia Tech [on Saturday]. I expect a lot from both myself and the team. We should be strong, and we should be eligible to have a good fighting chance in the ACC this season.”