Matthew Char (GREEN Breakers) 
Matthew Char has been a great example of dedication and mental toughness. He has pushed himself beyond what others might say a six year old is capable of. He stays focused in practice, and works hard to apply the technique he’s being taught. He works very hard, and has made all his strokes much more consistent. Maybe it’s his competitive drive to keep up with his brother, Andrew. Matthew has been a great example for technique, and focus, so it was great to get some insight into what makes a young swimmer so great. So Matthew, what was your favorite meet this past year? “My favorite event was the Swim-a-Thon, because I could swim however many laps I could.” A future distance swimmer in the making. I heard you swam well over 100 laps! Congrats! What are your favorite events to swim? “I love butterfly, but I haven’t swam it in a meet yet, so I would say backstroke. It makes me feel fast.” Backstroke makes me feel fast too. You get to see the ceiling go by really quick! Now, word on the pool deck is that you are quite the competitor. How do you prepare for a swim meet? “I always eat a lot so I don’t get hungry, and my mom always makes me honey water to put in my water bottle.” That is a trick I will have to try! You know honey is a great immune system booster. A couple more years of honey water, and you might never be sick again! What do you feel is the most challenging part about being a swimmer? “Being legal in all four strokes. It takes a long time to do.” That is true. When you are first learning the strokes, it can seem like it takes a long time to get them all down. There are a lot of rules, but you know what, if you keep working hard, and follow the rules of the stroke, you will have it all down in no time! Breaststroke may take a lot more time because there are so many rules, but never fear! Your coaches are there to help you out! What are some things you like about being on Blue Wave? “Parties!! I like to attend all the events with my teammates.” Now who doesn’t love a good Blue Wave party? Tell you what, swimmers know how to have fun. You know, ‘Matthew Char: Party Animal,’ has a fun ring to it. So tell me Mr. Party Animal, what are some goals you have for this year, and how do you plan to achieve them? “I want to beat some 6 and under records, and I will work hard to achieve it.” Good plan! The best things in life are worth working for. Tell us Mr. Party Animal, what is something your teammates might not know about you? Do you moonlight as a superhero named Party Animal who fights crime with extreme style? “I started swimming and jumped off the diving board at 18 months of age. I have always been very daring.” Well, if that doesn’t sound like future superhero to me, I don’t know what does. ‘The Daring Party Animal.’ So what is your favorite food? “Bacon, and I also love candy.” Two of the greatest things ever invented besides donuts. Good choices. What kind of movies do you like? “Rush Hour, because I like the fighting scenes and it’s so funny.” You are certainly doing your research on crime fighting. I know who to call when trouble comes around. What activities, besides your crime fighting training, do you do when not swimming? “Playing outside, playing basketball, riding my bike, and playing football with my brothers.” Sounds like an active lifestyle man! Keep it up! Now tell us, without revealing your secret identity of course, what accomplishments are you most proud of besides swimming? Ever been awarded the key to a city? “I am a good reader, and I finished spelling all 200 words for my word club in 3 months. I am also a good Tae Kwon Do fighter. I am brave, and kick really hard. I practice with my older brother Benjamin and I learned a lot from him.” You are seriously giving me more and more reasons to believe that you are training to become a superhero. You have me thoroughly convinced. Congrats man! All that Tae Kwon Do will help with swimming too. Now, if you really were a superhero (not saying you are not one right now), what would your ideal super-power be? “Invisibility. So no one can see me!” I can see the headlines: ‘Daring Ninja Warrior, Party Animal, saves the day again!’ You’ve got some great stuff ahead of you man! Keep up the great work, and we look forward to seeing all you accomplish in the pool! #SOTMMatthew
Morgan Urick (TIDAL WAVE)
Morgan has been a dedicated Blue Wave for a few years now, and is known for her resilience and great passion for swimming. She has done her best to make every practice she can, even with a broken bone. She has done very well embodying the qualities that Blue Wave stands for, such as dedication, and mental toughness. So Morgan, let’s talk about swimming. You’ve had a great career with us, competing and training, and we’re excited to have you on board with us! What are some things you like about being on Blue Wave? “I love the small team atmosphere, the coaches, and my teammates, who are all great friends who cheer each other on.” I am glad you bring that kind of attitude with you! What has been your favorite meet this season? “I don’t really have a favorite meet, but I enjoy hanging out with the team and swimming new and different events.” That is so exciting! You know, that is the kind of attitude which really makes a swimmer successful. Knowing that it isn’t about the meet, it’s about the swimming, and enjoying the races themselves. Good mindset to have! What events do you enjoy swimming the most? “My favorite events to swim are the 50 and 100 free because I love sprints and freestyle, and I also love leaving everything I have in the water after a great sprint.” Again, excellent mindset! Never leave a race thinking that you could have done better. Don’t hold back, enjoy pushing yourself! Now, all this mental toughness I am sure takes practice, and good preparation. What do you do to get ready for a meet? “I make sure to eat a great dinner, go to bed early, get a good night sleep, wake up, and eat a great breakfast, play some pump up music, and text all my friends so we pump each other up!” That is such a great idea!! Way to go supporting your teammates. Next meet, I will have to text you so I can get some of that pump-up excitement!! What do you believe is the most challenging part of being a swimmer? “Pushing your hardest, even when you’re exhausted and don’t think you can do it. It’s also really hard to stay positive after a really bad practice or race.” That is true. I have often had to work hard to bounce back from one of those. But you know, it is how we come back from those tough spots that make us who we are. It helps prepare us for the next race, and it brings about better mental toughness. It’s like working a muscle: When you put stress on the muscle, it can get tired and weak, but by feeding it with positivity, that muscle will bounce back even stronger than last time. What are some goals you have for this year? “I would really like to make a championship meet and work on my breaststroke. I will achieve this by going to practice consistently and continually pushing myself to do the best I can.” Fantastic! No better way to go about it. And don’t forget to talk to your coaches! Now tell us, what is something your teammates might not know about you? “I have lived in Germany, Australia, and New Mexico.” Wow! Very exciting. Morgan, the world-traveler. You could write a book about your swimming adventures one day. What is some of your favorite food? “I like a lot of different types of foods, but I love tacos and pizza.” What kind of music and TV do you enjoy? “I like country and pop music, and I love The Big Bang Theory and Greys Anatomy.” When you are not swimming, what do you do? “I love to hang out with my friends, eat, and sleep.” That sounds like the life of the swimmer right there. If you could have any super-power, what would it be? “If I could have a super-power, it would have to be having super speed and being able to breathe under water. That might help with my swimming a little.” That would definitely help out a lot. And finally, what accomplishments are you most proud of? “I have pretty good grades, and I’m also a captain of a Relay for Life team I formed with my friends.” That is an excellent cause! I love Relay for Life and all it stands for. Well Morgan, again we are so happy and proud to have someone like you on Blue Wave. Keep representing your team well, keep positive, and thank you! Congrats on being a Blue Wave Swimmer of the Month! #SOTMMorgan
