Pace Paw Print

Media Credit: Alex Pandolfi Not only is Craig McClintock the swim team captain, he is also about to save some lives in Pace's pool.

Alex Pandolfi- Welcome Paw Print readers to this week's Setter Stage. I'm literally diving into my interview this week as I talk with swimmer Craig McClintock. McClintock is not only the captain of Pace's swimming team, but he also holds seven individual swim records and four records as part of relays. Craig, I'm going straight the point with this interview. How long have you been swimming for?
Craig McClintock- I have been swimming since I was six. So I think that's about 15 years. I've never really thought about that before.

AP- That is a long time. Some people swim for fun, while others do it for therapeutic reasons. Why do you swim?
CM- Probably for both of those reasons. It keeps me in shape and it's something I'm good at.

AP- If you could pick anyone on your team to have a race against, who would it be?
CM- Peter Brynes because we both swim the same events, we usually come in first and second in those events, and ability wise we are pretty close too.

AP- There are numerous types of swimming your team does, and I'm starting to learn a lot of them, but what are you generally good at?
CM- I'm a distance swimmer, so I do all of the long races like the 1000 yard and 500 yard races. I also do backstroke races every now and then.

AP- Let's pretend you have an empty pool, that you could fill up with anything to swim in. What would you fill it up with and why?
CM- Cream Soda because it's one of my favorite sodas and I'd rather swim in a liquid than say, skittles.

AP- Have you played any other sports aside from swimming?
CM- I played soccer for five years when I was really young, and from my sophomore year to my senior year in high school I was on the tennis team.

AP- That sounds well balanced. Ok Craig, I'm going to give you a sentence and you are going to fill in my blank. "My mind shuts off when people talk about..."
CM- Well, my mind is always racing, and I'm always thinking about something, so I don't think my mind ever really shuts off.

AP- That's good though, it means your always listening. This has become without a doubt my favorite question, so I'm going to ask you. If you could pick any three celebrities to have dinner with, who would they be?
CM- That's a hard one, I would pick Eli Manning, Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress.

AP- I like that answer. It has a nice New York Giants theme to it. Speaking of the Giants, the Superbowl will be over and done with before people see this interview, so I won't ask for a prediction. This next question is probably more important than a prediction though, what is your favorite Superbowl snack?
CM- Definitely nachos, and not just with cheese, but with everything.

AP- If there was a biographical movie to be made about you, who would play Craig McClintock?
CM- I'm going to say Christian Bale.

AP- I'm assuming that for swimming, a lot of working out and exercise must be done. What is your least favorite exercise for swimming preparation?
CM- We do these sprints where you push of the block, swim across, get out, do ten push ups, and then swim all the way back. That's probably my least favorite.

AP- If I could grant you a super power, what power would you want?
CM- Invisibility, I would love to sneak around places and do crazy stuff.

AP- Let's say you are left on a deserted island, and you could have three items with you, what items would they be?
CM- Pizza, TV and an Xbox 360

AP- That sounds like the way I would answer that one. On the swim team, who has the best sense of humor?
CM- Probably Peter Brynes again.

AP- Valentine's day is coming right around the corner, any plans?
CM- Probably recovering from the Superbowl, and a lot of sleeping.

AP- Is Valentine's Day a day for love, or just a day for stores to sell their cool looking cards and talking stuffed animals?
CM- I guess it's a day for love.

AP- Even though it's about ten months away, this country has an election coming up. With all the talk lately, give me a bold prediction on who will be our next President.
CM- I think it's probably going to be Obama. Hillary has too many bad things sneaking behind her with Bill and all.

AP- What was your first job?
CM- I was a grounds keeper for a private pool. Head grounds keeper actually...because I was the only one.

AP- Last question Craig, you said earlier you would want a pizza on a deserted island. In your mind what is the perfect pizza?
CM- Chicken and bacon pizza. People think it's not going to taste good but it's great.

AP- I'm not sure what those people are thinking, because that sounds like a good pizza to me. Anyway, Craig thank you for you time.
CM- Thank you.

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