College Recruit Rankings Profile: Juliana Bugatti, Class of 2011

PHOENIX, Arizona, October 30. WE usually wait to feature recruits in our Swimming World College Recruit Rankings Profile series until prospects are juniors or seniors and ranked four stars or above, but something about Juliana Bugatti of the Sarasota Sharks caught our eye.

Bugatti, who updates her profile in the Swimming World College Recruit Rankings powered by Take Your Marks on a regular basis, is a three-star recruit for the Class of 2011 with Junior National cuts in the 800-meter free (8:56.11), 1500-meter free (17:11.64), 400-meter IM (5:02.34), 500-yard free (4:51.66), 1000-yard free (9:56.30) and 1650-yard free (16:40.95).

Bugatti, known as Cha Cha to her friends and family, took time out to give us some background information on her life and career in the sport thus far.

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Where and when did you start swimming?
I was born in Los Angeles, and started swimming as a toddler. My parents felt strongly about my brother and I being pool safe at a young age, so I was under water as a baby, used "water wings" for a brief period, and by the age of two the "wings" were history!

Who would you name as the most influential person and coach in your swimming career?
The most influential people in my swimming career would have to be my family. My mother is the most enthusiastic, positive, and, yes at times, a really loud fan! My father always encourages me to try my very best and he is extremely supportive. My older brother, Kavanaugh, realizes how committed I am to the sport and he always cheers me on.

It would be impossible to name one coach as the most influential. Three coaches fit this description and they are Coach Sherwood Watts, Coach Steve Brown, and Coach Larry Shofe. Coach Watts taught me the fundamentals of swimming, and in my opinion he is the best age group coach in the country. Coach Brown brought strategy to my swimming. I love distance freestyle, and Coach Brown taught me how to breakdown a race and think about my strategy. Coach Shofe helped me become a tough competitor in and out of the pool.

What, to this point, is your best moment in the sport and why?
The best moment in the sport was my 1000 swim at Short Course Junior Olympics last spring where I got my first U.S. Open Cut with a time of 9:56.30. The U.S. Open Cuts seemed to be so out of reach, but now I have more confidence to achieve more cuts.

Walk us through practice:
Warm-up: 5 X 200, swim, kick, drill, kick, swim
Kick Set
Stroke Work
Main Set- Distance or I.M.
Pull Set
Warm Down
Cardio-Run 3 miles

What is your favorite set?
My favorite set would have to be a distance set 3 X 2000 or an I.M. set.

What is your least favorite set?
My least favorite set would be Pull sets.

What are your short-term goals?
My short-term goals would be to break 4:50 in the 500 free, and to break 1:50 in the 200 free at High School State Championships. I hope to place in the top 3 for the 500 free and in the top 6 for the 200 free.

What are your long-term goals?
My long-term goals are as follows:

* This is my first year that I can earn the honor of being a Scholastic All-American. My GPA is over 4.0, so I am on track. I plan on achieving this honor all 3 years in High School.
* I hope to receive a full scholarship for swimming.
* I would like to have 5 Olympic Trial Cuts before my Senior year in high school in the 200, 400 & 800 Free, 400 I.M., and the 200 Backstroke.
* I plan on being a ******6****** Star Recruit by the end of 2009.

Is there anything else that you'd like our readers to know about you?
In the swimming world, I am known as "Cha-Cha" Bugatti. Not many people know that my given name is Juliana. My brother is 15 months older than me, and when I was born he couldn't pronounce Juliana so he called me "Cha-Cha"…the name stuck! I happen to hold dual citizenship – U.S. & U.K. My father is English. It would be so amazing to swim for either America or Great Britain in the 2012 London Games….this is my ultimate goal!

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