You name it: we’ve got it. Florida State offers an incredible amount of sports. Each sport contains some of the most talented athletes in the nation. Throughout the school year these athletes manage classes, practices, and away trips for competitions. While football and basketball seasons go on, there are other sports competitions being held on campus, too. One of those sports is swimming. For most of the school year, they compete in swim meets, some being home and others away. They end the swim season with the ACC Championships around the end of February.
Swimming can be one of the most challenging of sports. Some of us remember the time our parents signed us up for the local swim club, and eventually over time we stopped. Only a select few of talented swimmers go on to swim in college. Robby Hayes is one of those few people. He has been swimming since before he could walk. It’s easy to tell he was born to swim. Robby Hayes is a senior swimmer on the Florida State team, and as his college career comes to an end, he has accomplished many great things in his four years. Robby normally swims the 200 IM, but he is versatile and able to fill in empty spots in meets when needed. His fastest time, and school record, is the 200 IM at 1:46.49, which he set at the Conference championships in last year. The 200 IM is where the swimmer swims 50 meters of each stroke; the order is butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. He, along with three of his teammates, set a school record for the 800 freestyle relay. This isn’t the first time Robby has been reigned champion of the pool; Being a lifelong swim star, Robby set six records throughout his high school career.
As a swim star throughout high school, he caught the eye of many colleges. Robby says, “Florida State University was one of 6 official recruiting trips I took. It was my last, and ended up being my favorite. I signed in the spring of my senior year of High school.” There are many reasons why a potential athlete would choose Florida State, but Robby had his reasons, “I chose FSU cause of the close knit team, the FSU cowgirls, the great coaching staff, and the constant partying.” There no doubt that Florida State is a top party school, which is one of the reasons a majority of students choose the school, including athletes.
Right before their races, swimmers motivate themselves by listening to music and stretching. This prepares them to stay focused and ready to beat their opponents. The stretching makes them less prone to injuries and allows for them to swim faster. Don’t let his white boy image fool you, Robby’s favorite artist is Lil Wayne and probably knows every lyric and song. He says, “My teammates call me a “Wayneiac” because he is my favorite and most listened to by far.”
When I asked Robby about his best part of swimming, he said, “The great shape it keeps [me] in, the year round tan, and the Speedos we get to sport on pool deck!” While it’s not the most generic answer, at least he was honest. There is no hiding the fact that when you swim about three fourths of the year, the sun is your best friend. And nobody can deny the fact that when they turn on the Summer Olympics, they love seeing the men show off their perfect abs and sexy Speedos.
When Robby isn’t swimming laps in the pool, he might be found sitting in class, for either of his two majors: Finance and Real Estate. How is he able to manage swimming and two majors? Robby admits it’s “hard, but my athletic/academic advisors help me out a lot [by] scheduling study hall hours, tutors, and make up work when I miss class for competitions.” As the interview winded down, it was time to ask the more serious question involving career aspects. Even after college, Robby still wants to keep swimming, explaining “I recently decided I will continue to train until the 2012 Olympic trials next summer to try and qualify for the London Olympics, then I plan on being a stock broker and working for a very large financial corporation, retiring by the age of 35.” Clearly a fun loving and ambitious student in both his swimming and future career path, Robby is bound to find success wherever he goes.
In May, Robby will be walking across the stage with two degrees and a great swimming career. You wouldn’t want to forget Robby Hayes in the near future; he could be the next big Olympic star.