The Morning Swim Show, Oct. 24, 2012: USC Fulfilled Requirements on Steven Stumph’s Wishlist

PHOENIX, Arizona, October 24. STEVEN Stumph, the top high school breaststroker last season, joins today's edition of The Morning Swim Show to talk about choosing the University of Southern California for college.

It's no surprise that Dave Salo's reputation as a top breaststroke coach was one thing that convinced Stumph to pick the Trojans, and he talks about the other aspects of the school that met his requirements for the place he'd live for at least the next four years. He also talks about winning the junior national title in the 200 breast and what he learned from competing in Olympic Trials that helped him succeed at juniors. Be sure to visit SwimmingWorld.TV for more video interviews.

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Morning Swim Show Transcripts
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Tiffany Elias: This is the Morning Swim Show for Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012. I am your host Tiffany Elias. Today in the FINIS Monitor is Steven Stumph. After a great summer season, the senior from Campolindo High School in northern California has committed to move south next year to join the USC Trojans. Steven welcome to the show.

Steven Stumph: Good morning.

Tiffany: All right so you must feel a sigh of relief now with the recruiting process being over right?

Steven: Yeah, it is mixed emotions. I am really happy, but it was also a lot of fun during the whole recruitment process, too.

Tiffany: Well mixed emotions, why don't you tell us about that? How was the recruiting process for you?

Steven: It was kind of nerve-wracking like knowing that each school I could go to could lead me down to a different path of my life and just trying to choose one of those four amazing schools I looked at that was just incredible.

Tiffany: So decided on USC as one of the top recruits for the class of 2013. What other schools were you debating between?

Steven: I was also looking at Cal, Texas and Tennessee.

Tiffany: All right so what were you looking for that helped you decide to pick USC in the end?

Steven: I had a wish list of 5 things. One was that it had a good school for my major of linguistics and international relations. I was looking for a team that I could really fit in with and I felt comfortable with. A coach that I felt could get me to accomplish my goals in and out of the pool. I was also looking for a campus that I really felt comfortable with and a school I was easy to get to.

Tiffany: So all in all USC really just recapped all of those?

Steven: Pretty much. I had all 5 of those things that were on my wish list.

Tiffany: So are you excited now you have mentioned before that a big thing as a breaststroker going to swim for Dave Salo, how big of was that a factor for you?

Steven: Well Dave Salo is a renowned breaststroke coach and I think that when I will be able to train with him that he will be able to give some great insight and advice into my breaststroke and I am really looking forward to that.

Tiffany: So now that the big decision is over, what is the rest of your senior year going to look like out there at Campolindo going into your next swim season and how are you going to prepare for entering college?

Steven: Well I am going to focus on school until it is over and then the next big set of meets I am going to look forward to is my high school championship meet and then go into the summer and see some meets going into there.

Tiffany: Well speaking of summer, why don't we go back and talk, about this last past summer you swam at Omaha and that led up to the Junior Nationals where you won the 200 breaststroke. Now why don't you walk us back through Omaha and how that might have helped you prepare to do so well at Junior Nationals?

Steven: Omaha was one of in a kind of experience. Any swimmer that swims there is going to say that. It was so unique. All the athletes there are treated like celebrities and professionals you just treat it so well and just coming out of the ready room going up onto those blocks right before you swim is just stunning, like you have the entire crowd looking and watching just you and the other people in your heat and it was just so unique and I am so excited that I was part of it last year.

Tiffany: Now as a breaststroker, the 200 breaststroke at Omaha was one of the most shocking events. What was your reaction when you saw Burckle and Weltz go 1-2 in that 200 breast?

Steven: I just thought congratulations to them. They deserved it. They put a lot of hard work into it and I was just happy for them knowing that they would represent the U.S. and that they had a shot at winning the gold in London.

Tiffany: All right, so moving on to the Junior Nationals you go out there, you have some spectacular races, come away with a win. Now, what was the big difference between you racing in Omaha versus Junior Nationals, or was there?

Steven: For my race in Omaha I was really proud of it and I thought I did really well, but going into junior nationals I looked at my race from Omaha and I looked at it analytically and I guess I did what I could fix, what I could do better and I train to the summer and fix this things.

Tiffany: What were those things that you had to fix?

Steven: I knew my pulldowns could be better. My turns could be faster. I knew that I was taking too many strokes per lap and I could lengthen out and glide a little bit longer and extend my stroke so I would work on that probably the most.

Tiffany: Now you had a strong summer long course season, but you are a great short course swimmer as well. You were the fastest in the country for high school last season, I believe in that 100 breaststroke or top in high school rankings, so would you say you are more long course or short course?

Steven: If you asked me that question two years ago, I would probably would have said long course, but I knew that my short course I was lacking on the walls. I could have quicker turns so I really tried to improve on them the past 2 years and now I would say I am pretty equal like – like swimming the long course meters where I can actually get out and swim, but I also like doing the short course where I can have those walls and underwaters to help me out.

Tiffany: Well it is definitely good to be strong in both distances. All right so heading out to USC next year overall whether it is academics or athletics what are you looking forward to most?

Steven: I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life. I can't wait to train with the USC team and all those guys are so energetic about swimming and the academics there. I can't wait to study there so just overall excited for the entire experience.

Tiffany: Have you started thinking about which three individual events you might want to zone in on?

Steven: I have narrowed it down to the two breasts and depending on what my team needs, one of the IM's.

Tiffany: All right, well college is all about team efforts so that is the right mentality to have.

Steven: Thank you.

Tiffany: All right, well thanks Steven, thanks for joining us and best of luck next year out at USC.

Steven: Thank you very much.

Tiffany: All right. Thank you.

Steven: Bye.

Tiffany: That is Steven Stumph in the FINIS Monitor, that wraps up today's Morning Swim Show, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with all the latest news. I am your host Tiffany Elias, thanks for watching.

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