Bridget Moore | Synchronized Swimming
Emily Manns | Fulcrum Contributor
Photo by Don Weerdenberg
“Meet a Gee-Gee” takes a look at the people under the jerseys. Whether they’re varsity athletes or otherwise, we ask the players questions you want answers to. We get the dirt, straight from the horse’s mouth.
MEET BRIDGET MOORE, synchronized swimmer and chocolate lover. In an interview with the Fulcrum, Moore talks about synchronized swimming and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s future in the sport.
The Fulcrum: When did you first get into synchronized swimming?
Bridget Moore: It was in fourth grade, so I was around eight. I didn’t start competitive until seventh grade, though.
Have you had any bad experiences with swimming?
Umm, not terrible. Mostly it adds up to freezing pools that aren’t deep enough to do synchro properly, so you hit your head a lot.
Who do you think would be better at synchronized swimming: Arnold Schwarzenegger or Bruce Willis?
Oh, Bruce Willis, I would think. He would have the finesse for the sport. Schwarzenegger might be a little too [much] muscle for some parts of the sport! He’s just too buff for us.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you during a practice and/or competition?
We have a figure component to our sport, where you show a specific set of skills in front of judges. I once did one completely wrong, came up to face the judges, and was told to do it all over again.
Do you have any kind of good luck ritual?
With the team that I swam with last year we would do our “grunt”—right before we swam we would all go into a huddle and shout! It really gets rid of the butterflies.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Slow walkers… Oh my goodness, it drives me crazy. It gets worse when they text too, or there’s a group of them taking up the entire sidewalk.
Do you have an idol that you look up to?
Oh boy… This is a tough question. I don’t truly idolize anyone, but I admire people who put genuine effort into something. So, a lot of people, I guess.
What’s your favourite food?
Chocolate—nice dark chocolate. This is why I can never stop doing sports.
Do you have any strange or weird habits that people have called you out on?
I’m very fidgety and restless, especially in class. People normally hate it when you’re tapping pens or doodling all the time.
Name one very important thing you have to remember to do before a performance or competition.
I have two things. I have to shake out my legs and arms to warm them up a little bit before our dive in, and I have to visualize the “10” checks in the routine. Normally this can be done simultaneously.
What do you like most about Ottawa?
The winters. It’s beautiful here and we get just the right amount of snow, in my opinion.
What would you say is your favourite quote/saying?
“Stay gold, Ponyboy” from The Outsiders. This quote has stayed with me for yea now, and I have just never gotten over it.
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