Making Waves with Giles Smith
September 21, 2009 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Sept. 21, 2009
BY DREW RUTHERFORD
UTSports.com
This is the first of an eight-part series highlighting the 2009-10 Tennessee swimming and diving newcomers. In this edition of "Making Waves," freshman freestyle sprinter Giles Smith is featured.
The Tennessee swimming and diving program has a lot of traditions. I will mention a few and then you tell me what you know about them and how you feel about them as a newcomer to the program. First, let's talk about the Home Waters tradition.
"The Home Waters tradition is where we pour water from our pool into an opponent's pool at an away meet. I think that is pretty cool. It gets that pool ready for some Big Orange."
Teams that perform as one unit are awarded the coonskin cap. The captains this year are really focused on earning the coonskin caps. What does earning the cap mean to you?
"The coonskin cap is everything. From what I have seen it means so much. When I was 14 or 15 I was watching the NCAA meet on ESPN and I remember seeing the whole team come out wearing the coonskin caps. I always thought that was really cool. Little did I know that one day I would be on that team and have an opportunity to earn the coonskin cap."
Tennessee has a tradition that graduating seniors sign their names in the rafters after their last home meet. It's called 'Ghosts in the Rafters.' How do you feel about the 'Ghosts in the Rafters' tradition?
"JT (UT coach John Trembley) told me about that on my recruiting trip. He almost brought me to tears. He was tearing up a little bit, too. It's awesome how important that is. If you make it through the program then no matter what you will always be a part of Tennessee. I think that is really cool."
One of my favorite traditions is earning your spot in the home locker room. As a newcomer, you have to earn your locker with the rest of the team by performing some feat assigned to you by the coaching staff. Until you perform that feat, you have to use the visiting locker room. What is that like for you?
"It's good. Right now we are just freshman. We are a part of the team but it is important to stay humble. You can come in here and be the fastest recruit in the country but that doesn't earn your spot in the locker room. It is good because it makes you stay humble."
Switching directions, what are you personal goals for this season?
"I want to make a final heat at the SEC championships and finish in the top three. I want to qualify for the NCAA championships and make an A final."
If the whole swimming and diving team was stranded on a desert island, who would be the last man standing?
"Me. Because I don't quit."
Will anybody give you a run for your money?
"Everybody else will hang around until the end because none of us like to quit. We are all competitors but I will be the last one."
If the entire coaching staff entered a mixed-martial-arts contest, who would win?
"Jim Rumbaugh (volunteer assistant coach). Big Jim is underrated. He flies under the radar. Nobody knows about Big Jim but he is one of the most athletic guys you'll ever meet. Medgar Harrison (strength coach) would be a close second, though."
