She just Natalie

Swimming World and Junior Swimmer, Aug 1998 by Jeffrey, Josh

Female High School Swimmer of the Year

Natalie Coughlin, a 15-year-old sophomore from Vallejo, Calif. sent high school swimming to new levels with three record-breaking performances last May at the California North Coast Sectional Championships in Novato. Swimming for Carondelet High School on just a three-day taper, Swimming World's Female High School Swimmer of the Year bettered both the national public and independent school records in the 200 yard IM. Clocking 1 :58.84 (after posting a 1:59.20 in prelims), she set a new independent mark, breaking Emily Mastin's (Xavier, Ariz.) 1:59.82 from 1995. She also became the fastest high school IMer ever as she eclipsed Allison Wagner's (Eastside, Fla.) 1994 public school record of 1:58.91. "I was happy that I bettered my time, but I was hoping to break 1:57," admits Coughlin. "We did a lot of speed work leading up to the meet, and my legs were killing me." Natalie, though, would save her best for last.

Prior to the prelims of the 100 yard backstroke, Natalie's best time in the event was a 55.24. A little over 53 seconds later-53.46 to be exact-she had a new national independent school record, chopping 1.59 seconds off Margo Diamond's (Peddie, N.J.) 1995 standard of 55.05. And for good measure, she swam faster than Misty Hyman's (Shadow Mountain, Ariz.) public school record of 53.68, set in 1996. Coughlin's new record, however, was short-lived. She came back the following night in finals to shatter her new mark by a full 6-tenths of a second, posting an incredible 52.86-just 15-hundredths off the new American record set by Catherine Fox at this year's NCAA Championships.

"It was a really fun swim, but I have some mixed emotions about it," she says. "I really jammed my third turn and came too close to the wall, which cost me a lot of time. I was hoping for the American record."

Importance of Balance

Though swimming is a major part of Natalie's life, she understands the importance of balance. "You can't let swimming be everything," she says. "I've seen how easily it can all be taken away from you. One of my teammates from the Terrapins' national squad, Chuck Worthy, was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. Doctors told him he'd never be able to swim again. The whole group was devastated. Fortunately, after extensive testing, it was found to be a false alarm, but it really helped me put things in perspective."

Part of that balance is achieved by focusing on success in academics, and Natalie shines just as brightly in the classroom as she does in the pool. Throughout her freshman and sophomore years at Carondelet, Natalie carried a 4.0 average.

"I believe swimming is great for giving you the skills you need to do well in school," says Natalie. "It teaches you to manage your time effectively and also gives you the discipline you need to get the work done in a timely manner."

And on Aug. 23, look out drivers! That's when Natalie turns 16, and she intends to get her license the next day. "The 23rd is a Sunday, so I'm going Monday to get my license," she laughs. "You have no idea how much I am looking forward to this. I am always asking my teammates for rides. I've already got this all planned out."

Swimming Fast

Inevitably, though, what Coughlin will be doing most this summer is what she does best-swimming fast. She is currently ranked first in the 15-16 girls national age group short course rankings in at least one event in each stroke, which is garnering her comparisons to another swimmer who achieved such a feat, the great Tracy Caulkins.

"That really is flattering. Tracy was...incredible," Natalie blushes. "I still have a long way to go before I even come close, but instead of being the next Tracy Caulkins, I want to be the first Natalie Coughlin."

Despite numerous predictions and comparisons to former greats, Natalie is quick to remind you that she swims for herself.

"I do this because I love it," she affirms. "If I hadn't achieved some of the things I've been fortunate enough to achieve, I'd still be swimming. As long as I honestly love to do this, I'll avoid falling into that pressure trap. The only expectations that matter are my own."

Keys to Success

Natalie's coach at Terrapin, Ray Mitchell, thinks her personality traits coupled with her work ethic are the keys to her success. "Not only is Natalie a hard worker, but she also does everything a good athlete should. She eats right, she gets enough rest, she keeps her goals in sight in everything she does. She also has the right attitude about her successes. She's not floating on some cloud. She's grounded, and she knows she can always get better."

Mitchell believes Coughlin will only continue to improve, and he feels she has an excellent shot of making the 2000 U.S. Olympic team. "She knows there are a lot of technique improvements to be made for her to compete against the top world-class swimmers," he says.

"She's also a racer. She does best when she has someone to race against. There's still a top tier of girls she hasn't yet raced. After this summer, she should have more international racing experience, which is what she needs to compete at the top of the world."