Taylor Ruck was at a crossroads in her career.
Having won back-to-back NCAA titles in the 200 free for Stanford, with more than a year before the next Olympics, the two-time Canadian Olympian wasn’t sure what direction she wanted to go.
It didn’t help that swimming wasn’t as fun as it used to be.
But a change of scenery helped as Ruck joined Sun Devil Aquatics at Arizona State to train with the growing pro group under Bob Bowman and Herbie Behm.
“After NCAAs, I wasn’t really having the best time swimming. I wanted a break and I didn’t go to Canadian Trials. Then I broke my wrist. I feel grateful to have been a part of worlds. I saw everything in a different light,” Taylor Ruck told Swimming World. “I knew I needed a change because I still didn’t really like swimming at that point. I talked with Greg (Meehan) in the spring. He knew how much I was struggling with it. My mind was wandering.”
Ruck, 23, wasn’t sure if she would take a break, retire, or what. But a chance conversation helped steer her back to the state she grew up in.
“One of the bus rides at worlds, I was sitting next to USA Swimming director Tim Hinchey, and he and my dad are old friends. He brought up coming back to Arizona where I grew up,” Ruck said. “Growing up, I always wanted new experiences and being away from home to pick up everything I could. That was my frame of mind.
“But once he said that, it made me excited. That was important because you need to be excited to pursue your passion.”
Ruck has been there for a few months and is looking to peak at the right time and make her third Olympic team.
“I am training with Herbie and Olivia Smoliga, Simone Manuel and I train together. It was fitting me right into that group. I am so happy it worked out like that. I have always looked up to them. It helps push me beyond what I think I can do,” Ruck said. “It is definitely different than anything I have done. It is a lot of short focus. The focus was gaining power with each stroke and lengthening my stroke. That is something I did well early on in my career, but kind of lost touch with. Finding that again has been amazing.”
Taylor Ruck.
Ruck was a little apprehensive of how joining a pro group filled with stars and big personalities was going to go, but she fit in immediately.
“I was a little nervous at the beginning because that environment is so powerful. It impacts everyone on that deck. I am so grateful to be able to learn from people like Olivia and Simone. At this stage of my career, there have been so many questions circulating in my head and seeing how they approach swimming has really helped. It has changed my relationship with swimming that makes me want to go to the pool and work hard,” Taylor Ruck said. “The world of swimming is so small. Everyone knows everyone and you get to share vibes with people because you are really committing your life to this.”
Ruck is coming off a good meet at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Westmont.
She finished fifth in the 100 freestyle (54.44), fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:01.54), ninth in the 50 free (25.65) and 14th in the 200 free (2:02.62).
“I am happy with the swims at Westmont and how much fun I had. I had some higher expectations for the 200 free because at worlds I did the same thing – flied and died. I was trying to approach it in a different way and we will see how that goes into San Antonio,” Taylor Ruck said. “My goal in coming here and in swimming was to find that love for it. Anything else that comes from that, I will just be elated with.”
That goes for her ultimate goal of winning an individual Olympic medal. In two Olympics, she has won several relay medals, but all of her international individual medals have come at Worlds or the Commonwealth Games.
“It has always been a dream to win an Olympic individual medal and that started at my first Olympics. Getting to that first Olympics made it seem feasable,” Taylor Ruck said. “There are so many things that go into winning an Olympic medal. That is why having the love for it is the most important thing.”
Wonderful to watch you being happy. And getting faster.
As Leon Marchand and others have said; There is something magic about training with the Sun Devils
Taylor is a lovely young lady. So proud of her persistence and honesty in and out of the pool.