Oct. 25, 2002
Usually the class clown is someone who can't quite cut it in the classroom. When it comes to swimming at Western Kentucky University, the class clown just happens to be the best swimmer on the team. In just one year on the Hill, senior Carol Brown has displayed her superior talents both athletically and comedically.
At the Sun Belt Conference Championships this past year, Brown took second in the 100 butterfly, fifth in the 50 freestyle and ninth in the 200 butterfly, while winning the 200 freestyle, 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays, setting school and conference records in the process. On top of all that, Brown earned the Oil Can Award, given by the team to the person who brings humor to the squad.
"When you follow a black line up and down a pool all day, you gotta be able to smile and have fun," said WKU head coach Bill Powell. "You have to have fun and keep it loose. Carol's always got a smile on her face. She's just a great, great kid."
Smiling is something that comes naturally to the native of Fortaleza-Ce, Brazil. After just one year at Western, it's apparent that success comes easily as well.
"The girls like to pick on me sometimes because of my accent. The way I say things becomes the source of some jokes," said Brown. "I really like to laugh and make others laugh. I just don't get sad."
As co-captain and the leading returning scorer on the women's team, not to mention the only swimmer from the team's top six points scorers at the SBC Championships not to have graduated, Brown will be counted on to lead a young group this season. With all the challenges Brown has dealt with, this newest hurdle should be a walk in the park.
After spending most of her childhood swimming for club teams, Brown was finally convinced to leave Brazil by a friend who had already made the journey and was swimming for Campbellsville University. Brown followed to Campbellsville in January of 1999, deciding to swim and play soccer for the Tigers.
"I had always wanted to come to the United States to further my education and experience a new culture," said Brown. "Talking with her got me really excited about the opportunity."
Knowing hardly any English at all, Brown relied on her friend to do most of her translating. At swim practices, the head coach had to write the exercises out on the chalkboard for Brown to understand.
"It was hard with the language barrier. But, I made good friends who helped me," said Brown. "Some things made it tough, but the course of the year was a great experience, even in the bad times."
During her second year at Campbellsville, the university decided to terminate the swim program. Having finished third and fifth in the 100 butterfly at the NAIA Nationals during her two seasons, Brown suddenly found herself without a team to swim for. After playing soccer the next year, she decided she needed to get back into a pool.
"I wanted to swim again. I had been swimming since I was a little kid and I missed it," said Brown. "It is my favorite sport."
So Brown and her husband, Stephen, whom she met during a summer ministry camp in 2000 and was married to in May 2001, came to WKU to talk with coach Powell.
"I had a whole lot of seniors and needed everything I could get. I took her site unseen, just went by her times," said Powell. "I had know idea she would become as good as she is now."
Instead of just adding "depth" to the Lady Topper program, Brown flourished at WKU. Despite a full year layoff from swimming, Brown eventually regained form and ended up shaving nearly three seconds off her time in the 100 butterfly and one second off her time in the 50 butterfly.
"Practice was really hard for me at first. I thought about quitting at times," said Brown. "I knew I had to keep going and I believe God helped me by putting the right people in my path."
While making the transition to a new city and team, Brown drew support from not only her husband, but also from her new teammates. "Even when they didn't know they were doing it, they would say something special to me to keep me going."
By the end of the year, Brown had posted the team's third fastest time in the 50 free, fourth fastest in the 100 free, third fastest in the 100 fly and fourth fastest in the 200 fly.
"Getting in with good competition really helped her," sadi Powell. "It tends to make you better when you are going against them every day."
"My swimming has improved a lot since I came to the U.S.," said Brown. "Having success has just made me want to push myself harder."
Having lost nearly 500 of the 849.5 points the women's team scored last season en route to winning their second consecutive Sun Belt Conference title, Brown will be counted on to lead the way for the young Lady Toppers. With some new freshmen butterfliers on board, Brown will be needed more for sprints and might be pulled away from her best event, which is a "toss up" between the 50 free and the 100 fly. Either way, Brown's competitiveness and dedication will have her prepared.
"You can always tell when she's ready. She puts her game face on and you know it's time," said Powell. "It's fun just to watch her face."
Whatever the season holds in store for Brown and WKU, the only certainty is that this season will be Brown's last.
"I've been swimming almost my whole life," said Brown. "I'm going to miss it."
