Brigit McDannell ‘18Sports Editor
Jane Kuntz is a first-year and new to the Smith Pioneers Swimming and Diving team. This week I spoke with her about her athletic career. She maintains a positive attitude and relaxed mentality toward her game.
Class: 2019
House: Chapin
Hometown: River Forest, IL.
Major and minor: Possibly Italian major and exercise and sports studies minor.
How long have you been swimming?
I swam when I was a kid for a while, but I started diving my sophomore year of high school, making this my fourth season diving.
What event do you like to compete in?
I usually only compete on the boards, which I love, but one time my coach put me in the 200 free relay “for fun,” and it was a blast.
Least favorite event?
Any event that involves swimming more than 50 [meters].
What inspired you to swim?
It’s not a “what” that inspired me to swim, it’s a “who.” Ever since I started, my teammates, on whatever team, have been my inspiration to be better than the best diver I can be.
Who’s your favorite diver or swimmer?
I love Tom Daley. I like to stalk his Instagram to see if he posts videos of his dives because they’re flawless.
Who do you look up to the most on the Smith team?
It’s hard to pick just one of my teammates because I look up to everyone for different reasons.
What has been your favorite meet so far this season?
It definitely was the relay meet at the beginning of the season. It was our first meet of the 2015 season, and there was a lot of energy on deck from us and the other teams. It overall was a great meet.
Is there a drill you dread during practice?
Occasionally, our coach thinks it’s a fun idea to have a hose spraying freezing cold water about two feet from the end of the board to make sure we keep our dives closer to the board. It’s horrible because you get cold water in your face, so it’s too distracting to actually do what you’re supposed to do.
What do you do to improve your swimming and diving skills? What are you working on to improve?
Something I am always working on is jumping tall instead of out, so I can maximize my jump to get the most out of a dive.
What is your favorite aspect of the sport?
My favorite part about diving is when you totally rip an entry and you know it and when you come up and watch the replay, and it’s everything and more than what you thought it was in the air. I live for those moments, especially in meets.
What are your pre-meet rituals?
My pre-meet ritual isn’t concrete but usually includes a lot of pump-up music and getting my hair braided.
Post-meet rituals?
I don’t have anything specific for post-meet, but usually I just go eat a lot of food.
Are there any things you do to get your head in the game and pumped up?
Every meet is different, but usually I go in with a positive and relaxed attitude because diving with a bad attitude always has a big splash.
