Kris, what kinds of things does Eddie say to the guys on the team before a meet?
Kubik: Well, right before the Olympic Trials, we had a team meeting and Eddie talked about how you shouldn’t be able to tell the winners and the losers at the conclusion of a race based on their emotions. He told the guys that he knew many of them were going to do very well. So, that being said, he wanted to make sure that when they touched the wall, their show doesn’t overshadow the swimmers who didn’t swim to the best of their ability. So, in a roundabout way he told them, ‘I have total faith that you are going to go fast, and when you do, don’t make a big scene about it.’ He got the guys to believe, and in some respects, gave the guys permission to go really fast. Speaking of the Olympics, Kris, how much motivation have this years Olympians given to some of the younger guys on the team? Kubik: The main thing the kids learn from the Olympians is that they are normal people who worked really hard to accomplish what they did. The swimming example is right there in front of them, motiva
