College Recruit Rankings Profile: Five-Star Heather Holtom, Class of 2009

PHOENIX, Arizona, June 18. HEATHER Holtom, a five-star breaststroker who swims for David Marsh at SwimMAC-Carolina, is the next swimmer featured in the Swimming World College Recruit Rankings Profile series. Holtom calls Charlotte home, and is a member of the Class of 2009.

Holtom, who keeps her own profile in the Swimming World College Recruit Rankings powered by Take Your Marks updated for our fans, has a pair of U.S. Olympic Trials cuts in the 100 breast (1:11.37) and 200 breast (2:35.27).

Where and when did you start swimming?
I was five years old and my mom wanted my two sisters and I to learn how to swim. So, she signed us up for the summer league at STOP (Swim Team of Placentia). My one sister lasted about a week, and my other sister swam for one season. I stuck with it because I liked the kids on team and I was really competitive.

Who would you name as the most influential person and coach in your swimming career?
The most influential people would have to be my parents. Though we don't always see eye to eye, they give me good advice and they're always looking out for me. They've never pressured me to swim, they just want me to enjoy what I do, and be the best I can be.

As for coaches, I don't think I could pick just one who has influenced me the most. I have learned so much from every coach I have ever had. This past year working under David Marsh was incredible, because he knows so much about the sport, and he's very good with working with the individual needs of athletes.

What, to this point, is your best moment in the sport and why?
That would definitely have to be making the 2006-07 National Junior Team that competed in Hawaii. It was so cool representing USA at such a big meet.

Walk us through a day of practice:
Right now we're in our summer training schedule, so things are a little different. But we swim every morning 6-8 AM. Afternoon practice is on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 3-5. We also do abs before practice, and I lift usually twice a week.

What is your favorite set?
I like sets where you have fast swims mixed with drills. One set that we do that I really like is 24 X 50's on a minute (LC) one all out and one drill. I also like training IM. I don't have a specific set that's my favorite, but for me, I get bored easily, so I like sets that have all the strokes in it.

What is your least favorite set?
There are many! Just kidding. We had this hard IM set on a Saturday morning. It was like…

4 X 200 IM on 2:50
1 X 200 IM on 2:20
4 X 200 IM on 2:40
1 X 200 IM on 2:20
4 X 200 IM on 2:30
1 X 200 IM on 2:20
4 X 200 IM on 2:20
1 X 200 IM on 2:20

We just had to make the interval. It was very tiring!

What are your short-term goals?
My short-term goal is to break a 1:10 in the 100 breast at Trials.

What are your long-term goals?
To make more international teams. The National Junior Team was so much fun! I would love to do stuff like that again.

What colleges are you interested in so far?
I'm keeping my options open. I'm talking to some coaches and swimmers to learn more about the different colleges. I'm so excited to go on trips, and get the feeling of being in college.

Is there anything else interesting that you'd like our readers to know about you?
My two sisters and I are all adopted. It's cool because I do know my biological family. They live in California, so whenever I'm out there, we get together and spend time with each other. They are very supportive of me, and it's just nice knowing that I have a really big family that cares about me.

To be eligible to be featured in this series, please make sure you create a new profile, or request to take over your admin-created account in the Swimming World College Recruit Rankings powered by Take Your Marks. Click here for information on how to do so.

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