Was anyone else an athlete before they got into cars

Rob Keehner · **Posted:** Fri Nov 14, 2003 2:59 pm

I was a national level competative swimmer my entire life. I tried and did lots of other sports too as I got older and was ussually good at them because of the conditioning i gained from swimming so much. I peaked somewhat early in my career at around age 15 but was fast enough then to maintain enough speed to have a competative college career at ECU. I gained alot of mental focus and concentration through swimming that carried directly over to driving. Has anyone else had similar experiences? I find it to be a very good advantage.

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Fri Nov 14, 2003 3:54 pm

I got good grades.

I enjoy playing basketball, but suck at it (then and now, but at least I could jump back then).

I made my first fake ID when I was 16 years old, and it worked untill I turned 21 (then I quit using it).

I suppose sports weren't my priority

Scott

Patrick Wellenius · **Posted:** Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:01 pm

I played soccer all the way from when I was 4 or 5 and still do (time permitting). I was fat and slow then, and still am now. Guess some things do change over to auto-x

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

I drank a lot in high school, and I was one of the school photographers. No sports.

Then I went off to college, learned how to play tennis, and played club tennis for UNC-CH (kinda like JV). Played a lot of that for a while, but ran out of good local competition when I moved back to Johnston Co. & got tired of driving an hour to Raleigh & back every other day or so to play with the folks at NC State. So I haven't played in a while (anybody here interested?).

Running was my big thing for a while, but I haven't been able to focus much on it lately for various reasons. Running is a lot cheaper than autox, btw. Going to start up again real soon, maybe run a marathon next year.

Tom Hoppe · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 10:16 am **Posts:** 387

Kevin - I would be glad to kick your ass in some tennis some time. I played on the NCSU club team....

-Tom

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:33 pm

Pretty sure Aaron thinks he's hot stuff with a tennis racket

(he also played/coached/taught tennis for a while).

Now he's too out of shape to be any good.

Scott

TomFreeman · **Posted:** Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:43 pm

Cross country, Track, Tennis, and Basketball.

I've mellowed considerably in competitive spirit since high school. Competition used to be all-encompassing, and when I didn't win, or wasn't at least upper-echelon, I got really frustrated and angry at myself.

Since I'm all of 5'5" and posess moderate skills, my varsity basketball career was less than stellar, which drove me nuts. After nearly breaking my hand punching a cinderblock wall during basketball practice, I decided something had to change.

I don't get quite as fired up about things these days, and it makes for a much happier Tom.

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:48 pm

Football, basketball and track letter in high school. Ran one year for Penn State until I was injured. Talk about an eye-opener, going to a mjor college athletic team...even track.

Played 5 years of rugby for the Raleigh Vipers. Motorsports is a lot saner and safer than rugby.

Kevin Hoff · **Posted:** Fri Nov 14, 2003 4:49 pm

I've backpacked/climbed/mountain biked/kayaked/ran over the years. Never been elite in any of them but I'm not sucky either. Mountain biking and kayaking feel _very_ similar to autocross, particularly in the way that you have to stop thinking about your next move to do it right. (flow, ya know!)

Speaking of this, anyone want to ride or trail run in the area?

--Kevin H.

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Fri Nov 14, 2003 11:07 pm

Played basketball as a kid and still do play quite a bit (Chapel Hill city league the last two years and Durham the two years before that). Have played softball the last five years or so as well (both fall and spring). Ran track and cross country in high school. Played one year of high school tennis.

I've been working out the past two years four times per week or so with the strength and conditioning coach for the UNC mens basketball team (Thomas McKinney). I'm stronger now than I was when I was 18 by a *lot* (no, I do not claim to be buff or even relatively attractive, however). :-)

I recently started taking tennis lessons a couple times per week with a tennis pro. Amazing how much more you can learn when you've got a good coach and you're *trying* rather than when you were in high school with a bad coach and you were only trying to impress girls. ;-)

But to answer the question, no, I was not nor am I now an actual athlete. I just still *want* to be one.

BTW, when were you at ECU? My sister-in-law (Hilary Stokes) swam there from 92-96.

--Donnie

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Sat Nov 15, 2003 11:04 pm

I was in the drum line in high shcool (guess I was a band geek!) and I played drums and was Pee Dee the Pirate at ECU. So the closest I ever got to stick and ball sports was the side lines.

I do like to ride bikes alot. Mainly road bikes but I like mountain also.

I did play church league soft ball for a couple of seasons. It just reinforced the fact that I suck at sports.

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Sun Nov 16, 2003 11:07 pm

1996 Scott Hall spades champion! :sleep

Ryan

AndersGreen · **Posted:** Mon Nov 17, 2003 2:48 am

Used to swim competitively, then I raced snowboards, then I got into inlines skating (stairs and jumps). Then speed skating on wheels, then short track style skating on ice.

Then I started making money. It appears that once motorsports were an option, there were no options.

Anders

Dave Phillips · **Posted:** Mon Nov 17, 2003 11:15 am

I played some baseball and softball in school and after, but have discovered my athletic ability more in my later years. I am seriously into cycling and enjoy riding in some of the local events like The Firecracker (metric century, 63 miles), Bikefest in Hillsborough (metric or English Century) and MS150 Bike Tour in New Bern (150 to 200 miles in a weekend).

I've been riding more seriously for the past 3 years and work hard to raise money for National MS Society because of my wife's sister who was diagnosed 10 years ago.. The MS150 is always my big event of the year and next year I plan on riding 100 miles each day.

All donations for the next MS150 are gladly accepted.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Mon Nov 17, 2003 11:15 am

As Scott alluded to, I played tennis in high school and in college. Graduated from college, and got my USPTA certification to to teach (as well as USRSA certification to string racquets). Taught for a couple of years, and considered being a teaching pro for a career. Then I came to my senses.

I also bowled a lot in high school and averaged 199 for about 2 years straight. Considered doing the Pro Tour, but once again, came to my senses.

Jack Hall's son's got me into BMX racing when I was real young. Then his youngest got me into road bikes, and I spent way too much on road bikes through college.

Now I hack at a lot of sports including golf (I shoot around a 90-95), softball (coached an IBM Men's League Team for 4 years, and played on Donnie's team for the last 2), and I'm starting to get into some running. I'm down about 30 lbs. since July, and I'm going to get back on the court. I've even gone as far as buying a new pair of tennis shoes, and going to have the racquets restrung. Frightening.... - AB

THSCC Forums

Was anyone else an athlete before they got into cars

Who is online