Jan. 7, 2009
By Wes Collins
UC Davis Athletics Media Relations
Originally published Nov. 8, 2008 in Aggie Gameday
Balancing a varsity sport and a full schedule of classes is a challenging task for any student-athlete. Adding a second varsity sport to that mix makes things even more hectic. But UC Davis junior Heidi Kucera finds a way to excel in water polo and swimming, using complementing skills to help contribute in both.
As a swimmer, Kucera owns the school records in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:14.30), and 200 (2:03.45) and 400 (4:22.18) individual medley events. She set the 200 breaststroke and 200 IM records as a freshman and broke the 400 IM mark at the Big West Conference Championships last season. Kucera took first-place honors in the 200 breast as a freshman, becoming the second Aggie woman to claim an individual Big West title.
"She's brought a very competitive attitude to the team," said women's swimming coach Barbara Jahn. "She just has that `give it your all' mentality. She's a hard worker." "She's one of our best ever," added assistant swimming coach Rick Henderson. "She likes to compete and that helps her in both her team sport and swimming. She just likes the thought of getting better."
Kucera chose to redshirt water polo last season and returns to a young Aggie squad as one of the expected leaders. She contributed eight goals and five assists for 13 points in only eight games as a freshman in 2007. She also managed 12 steals and drew eight exclusions.
"Aside from just swimming, the second half of water polo is a lot of leg strength," said women's water polo coach Jamey Wright. "She has amazing leg strength and it's no wonder that one of her best events in swimming is the breaststroke.
"The breaststroke kick and eight-meter kick that propel you out of the water are very similar," Wright added. "She just plays so high in the water and can get balls, catch and intercept passes, and do things defensively that don't necessarily deal with swimming fast, but deal with moving laterally and getting out of the water. Her speed and leg strength make her a special player."
Kucera practices with the water polo team in the morning and with the swimming team in the late afternoon, but is limited by NCAA rules to a maximum of 20 hours of practice per week. Her schedule is also impacted by a four-day-a week class that pulls her away from water polo practice. The goal is trying to make sure she is on the same page with her water polo teammates.
"It's a challenge," says Wright, "but if we get her part-time that's going to be really good. With all the work we do in the preseason she won't have a problem getting back in sync. She's a great individual athlete and is becoming a great teammate in water polo."
Kucera credits her rural upbringing and a background in rodeo competiton in helping make her a strong individual. She drew on her physical strength last season when she battled a sickness that left her fatigued, coughing and short of breath. In turn, her cough led to a painful condition known as osteochondritis, in which cartilage and bone in a joint become inflamed.
"I didn't like swimming for a while and I didn't like competing because I had to battle a shoulder injury and the sickness," said Kucera. "Everyday I'd wanted to come in and try hard, but I'd have to deal with my shoulder hurting, my chest hurting and topping it off with hurting my ankle. Everything piling up made it very difficult." "It's really hard in a cardiovascular sport when you're not able to move oxygen into your working muscles," said Henderson. "But she was tough and just hung in there and said `I'm doing the best I can and I have to have faith that when my body gets rested that it will be better.' And it was."
Despite the setback, Kucera persevered and finished her season with the 400 IM record. Additionally, she advanced to Big West Conference finals in the 200 breast and both IMs to score a team-best 46 points. Out of the water, she excelled in the classroom as a nutrition science major, earning Big West Academic All-Conference honors.
Kucera has returned healthy for the 2008-09 season and has already bettered her conference time in the 200 breast during the Aggies' opening meet. She also added two event wins in a double-dual meet at Nevada one week ago.
The only personal goal Kucera has set for herself is qualifying for the NCAA Division I Championship meet. Her main objective is to be a good teammate and help her teams achieve their ultimate goals of winning conference championships.
The UC Davis swimming and diving teams are in action this weekend at the Big West Shootout in Irvine, Calif. The water polo season begins at the NorCal Cup in Santa Clara in January.
UC Davis women's swimming & diving opens at home on Jan. 10 in a double-dual with San Jose State and Fresno State. The Aggie women's water polo team opens its 2009 season at the NorCal Cup at Santa Clara on Jan. 31.
