Fab frosh Jenkins making waves for Bruins
High school All-American eases into role as UCLA’s elite sprint
swimmer
By Ross Bersot
Comments regarding J.R. Henderson or Toby Bailey are about as
common on the UCLA campus as puddles these days. The first-year
basketballers have risen to the forefront of an outstanding
freshman foursome and have gained instant recognition along the
way.
But hoops isn’t the only Bruin sport that can boast freshman
standouts. The swim team welcomed 14 new members for the 1994-95
season, but none has been more important than Jill Jenkins. Only
halfway through her first collegiate season, she has begun to fill
the hole left in the sprint events by the early departure of
All-American Richelle Depold and has become a critical component of
the relays.
Most startling about her quick ascendence is the fact that she
has barely tapped into her potential speed.
"She doesn’t have any idea how good she is, no idea," head coach
Cyndi Gallagher said. "I look at her vs. Richelle and Richelle knew
how good she was, she had very high goals. With Jill you say
‘What’s your goal, Jill?’ and she’ll say ‘To make NCAAs,’ and I’m
thinking make NCAAs, she could be top-eight in three events.
"She has no idea how good she could be. I mean if she was
training with Richelle or other swimmers that were better than her
she’d be kicking their butts. I know that because I had Richelle.
She’s just above and beyond. I think that it’s something that it’s
going to take her a while to get, but she’ll figure it out."
Claiming to have started swimming because she, "lived in Arizona
and there is nothing to do there but get wet because it’s so
hot,"Jenkins’ competitive career began at the age of 11.
"(Swimming) is an individual sport that’s team oriented,"
Jenkins said. "I like swimming your own races and focusing on
yourself and then, when you’re done, helping out your team."
When she reached high school, Jenkins dominated the competition.
A five-time state champion at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale,
Ariz., and a two-time All-American, she holds the state high school
records in the 50 and 100 free, the 100 fly and the 100 back.
After being selected Arizona State Swimmer of the Year for 1994,
Jenkins decided to attend UCLA.
A last stop for Jenkins before arriving in Westwood was the 1994
U.S. Olympic Festival,where she captured the gold medal in the 50
free against top competitors from around the country. It was her
third race of the event. She was victimized by intense outside
pressure in the first two and did not place.
"I think I need to mentally prepare before every race that I
swim," Jenkins said. "Usually, when I do my best, I visualize my
race. That helps me a lot because I just get focused and I don’t
think about anything else that’s going on.
"Sometimes I don’t think I perform that well since I get to
nervous and I just don’t focus but, if I know I want something, I
can just do it."
It appears that she has decided on success in collegiate
swimming. With nine individual first-place finishes in dual meets
this season, in a variety of events including the 50 and 100 free,
the 100 fly and the 100 and 200 backstroke, she trails only junior
Annette Salmeen in victories.
Jenkins top times of 50.65 in the 100 free, 56.16 in the 100
back and 2:03.93 in the 200 back are Bruin season-bests. The first
two are NCAA consideration qualification marks but she is looking
for better.
"I’d like to get NCAA automatic times and I know I’m capable of
doing that," Jenkins said. "So that’s what my goal is to do at
(Pacific-10 Championships)."
Top-level collegiate competition and inspiration from several of
her teammates have given Jenkins support and confidence to know she
can go that fast and more.
"It’s really cool. I mean in and out of the water it’s a lot
different than it was on my old teams. It’s a lot more spirited and
everyone wants to be a part of it. Everyone supports each other.
We’ll talk in the locker room and people will be like, ‘Hey, you
had a good practice today,’ and that used to never happen. That
really gets you motivated to swim faster."