Swimming: Finding a family far from home

By now, a lot of people know that “ohana” means
“family” in Hawaiian, but most people can’t say
“family” in at least six different languages.

But the UCLA women’s swimming and diving team sure
can.

The team, one of the most ethnically diverse on campus, includes
swimmers representing six different countries. But despite their
cultural differences, every one of the Bruins act as if they are
part of the same family.

“Swimming brings us together because it’s such a
physically and mentally demanding sport,” said sophomore
Luisa Los-Santos, a native of Malaysia. “We go through the
pain together as sisters.”

The Bruins can have fun together, too. At the end of each
practice, the girls take turns doing the craziest dives they can
think of from the diving board while their teammates watch and
cheer for a belly flop. The team loves being around each other, and
some members even joke around about their different accents.

The swim team’s unity reached new heights after practice
on the first day of class, when everyone on the team, still
dripping wet in their swimsuits, screamed cheers at the top of
their lungs in front of the Bruin bear. Although passing observers
shot them funny looks, not one of the Bruins cared because their
teammates were right by their sides.

“It was embarrassing, and no one would do it if we
weren’t together,” junior Kim Vandenberg said.
“It’s a team thing.”

In addition to a myriad of swimmers from California and a
handful from out of state, UCLA features five who are
internationally-born. Besides Los-Santos, freshmen Chiemi Yamamoto,
Nicolette Teo and Shannon Hackett hail from Japan, Singapore and
Canada, respectively, and junior Alexis Unaphum is from Hong
Kong.

Coming to UCLA from another country is not always easy at
first.

Los-Santos remembers the heartache of homesickness when she left
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to come to America just over a year ago.
Luckily, upperclassmen Tamara Bal and Eileen Seissen accepted her
with open arms, showing her around campus and taking her out to
eat.

It’s been even more difficult for Yamamoto, a native of
Fukuoka-Shi, Japan who came to UCLA to swim breaststroke and
individual medley. Yamamoto’s limited understanding of
English has erected an enormous language barrier between the
swimmer and her coaches and teammates.

But the American swimmers’ caring attitudes and patience
with Yamamoto have paid off, for they already notice a vast
improvement in her understanding of English.

Teo, who has been enrolled at UCLA for less than seven weeks,
has already been assimilated into the swim team family. She notes
that the “girl talk” and playful atmosphere at dorm
dinners before each meet have brought her close to everyone on the
team.

Teo doesn’t ignore the fact that the swim team is
different, but instead realizes a source of the team’s unity
is a mutual tolerance for each other’s differences.

“The team is a variety of people with different
characteristics,” Teo said. “But we respect each other
and have no cliques.”

UCLA coach Cyndi Gallagher said she enjoys working with such an
eclectic bunch.

“I love it,” she said. “I’d hate to
coach a bunch of cookie-cutter swimmers.”

Gallagher also credits the team’s close-knit bonds and
mutual respect for one another’s backgrounds to their ability
to learn from each other.

“Being on this team gives me a chance to learn how other
countries train differently,” sophomore Katie Arnold
said.

But Gallagher is quick to admit it is difficult for the girls to
bond when their heads are underwater for six hours a day, so most
of the camaraderie takes place after practice.

Before their hair even gets a chance to dry, the team shops at
Third Street Promenade, watches movies or, not surprisingly, hits
the beach.

By winning numerous individual events this year, UCLA’s
international swimmers are already making a loud splash in the
pool, but have made an even greater impact on the lives of their
American counterparts. Team captain Lindsey Smart acknowledges that
the international students have a positive impact on the team

“(They are) good role models because of their dedication
to becoming better swimmers,” Smart said. “It rubs off
on the rest of the team.”

Similarly, the American girls have been nothing short of role
models to the international swimmers as well. Upperclassmen such as
Smart and Vandenberg go out of their way to take the international
students under their wings, inviting them to their apartments for
home-cooked meals and showing them the best places to eat in
Westwood.

It’s safe to say the 2004-2005 swimming and diving team is
one big, happy ohana.

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