Wednesday, February 16, 2000
Ursuline swimmer seeks to conquer world
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
To Ursuline junior swimmer Tami Ransom, publicity is a dirty word.
“I don't know why, but I'd like be left alone,” Ransom said. “I'd rather concentrate on what I'm doing. I don't necessarily need to be thinking about other things.”
What Ransom is concentrating on is her goal of winning two individual and two relay state championships March 25-26 in Canton.
She is also focusing on an upcoming trip to Athens, Greece, for the World Short Course Championships March 17-20.
Ransom qualified to represent the United States during the summer.
Jenny Thompson, the world-record holder in the 100 butterfly, is a member the U.S. short-course team, along with other notable American swimmers.
“Tami's very intense and focused,” said Ransom's father, Greg. “She has told very few people about swimming in the event.”
Although Ransom shies away from attention, it's unlikely that she will remain out of the limelight.
She already has claimed two individual state championships and was a member of three Ursuline state-championship relay teams the past two seasons.
“My long-range goal is to swim for the Olympic team,” Ransom said.
She's already qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 200 and 400 individual medley and 200 freestyle.
A year before Ransom arrived at Ursuline, Cincinnati Marlins coach Ken Stopkotte knew that a “star had been born.”
“Tami was outstanding as an eighth- and ninth-grader and showed immense improvement,” Stopkotte said. “She hit a plateau last year. But she had a great summer and came back rejuvenated.”
As a freshman, Ransom won the 100 butterfly state championship. She won the 200 individual medley last season. She also finished second last year behind teammate Erin Phenix in the 100 freestyle.
Training with the Marlins has never been boring for Ransom, despite being in the water five to six hours a day.
Although Ramson didn't talk about breaking Alison Fealey's state record of 1:59.96 in the 200 individual medley, Stopkotte thinks it's a possibility.
“Tami's goal is to go under two minutes in the IM,” Stopkotte said. “She definitely has the ability to break it.”
In winning the state championship in 1999, Ransom swam the 200 individual medley in 2:01.31 and went 2:01.07 at the district meet. She won the Division I sectional last week in 2:03.36.
“Tami has become a student of the sport and understands what it takes to achieve,” Stopkotte said. “She has a great way to prepare for practices and provides the program with a role model. Everyone looks up to her.”
Ransom started swimming as an 8-year-old at the Countryside YMCA in Lebanon, where Stopkotte was the head coach.
“Tami was a head-strong, serious kid back then,” Stopkotte said. “I remember after I told the kids I was leaving to take over the Marlins. Tami was 10 and looked at me and told me she was mad at me. I felt like crying.”
Stopkotte and Ransom were renuited the next year when she joined the Marlins.
“Because of all the hard work Tami did during the summer, she has been consistently good all winter,” Stopkotte said. “She can now taper (rest) much longer and remain in top shape for both events (the state meet and the world short-course).”
If Ransom wins two individual and two relay (200 and 400 freestyle) state championships next week, she will have nine in three years. That's one short of the school record of 10 held by Phenix.
Sports Stories
Smith cleared to throw
Smith arrives early to show he's 'serious'
Key players to visit Bengals
Deion offers 'plan' to play for Bengals
Bengals changing uniforms?
Stadium bill up $14.3M
Deion tries to make up for lost time
Fernandez joins pitching prospects
Xavier 95, Duquesne 66
XU's Hamilton signs off for year
Another banner year for Bearcats
