The SwimLight: Getting to Know Torri Huske
Olympic swimmer Torri Huske has a long list of achievements that make her an established name in the sport of swimming. Huske has had an immense impact on the Stanford University program, thanks to her tremendous talent. Her excellence, too, has been displayed at national competitions, and she has flourished on the international stage, including at the Olympic Games.
Huske’s rise to prominence is the result of her dedication to training hard and her genuine love of the sport. As she prepares for the next Olympic Trials, Huske is a living example of how hard work and passion for swimming can pave the way to success.
How did you get into swimming?
“When I was young, my parents just signed me up for as many sports as they could. So I would do ice skating and running. I did pottery class; that’s not athletic, but they just wanted to expose me to as many things as they could and see what stuck and what I liked.”
What was your favorite moment while swimming collegiately at Stanford?
“Winning the 4×200 freestyle relay (at NCAAs) was really cool my freshman year. That was the one we scored highest in and then there’s just something about a relay that’s just so fun, and you’re swimming for each other and the team. I thought it was really fun.”
Today, what swimming advice would you give your younger self?
“I think that I would tell myself to just continue working hard, and if you find your passion, stick with it and apply yourself.”
What is your favorite thing about the sport of swimming?
“I would say the community. I think the swim community is really special, and I’ve made so many friends through swimming. But as far as the sport itself, it’s a team sport, but it’s also very much individual, and you’re in your head so much and you just have the thoughts in your brain, and you’re not talking to someone or seeing anything other than the line on the bottom of the pool. It’s very much internal, and I think that’s peaceful in a way. I also like how tangible the evidence is of your growth. It’s very cut and dry. If you drop time, you are improving. I think it’s cool to see those hard, cut, and clear results versus something like soccer, for example. It’s just harder to see. You can tell that you’re improving, but it’s just harder to tell what specifically is getting better.”
What is your training looking like leading up to the Olympic Trials next year?
“My training is very similar to last year, except that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I was doing short course, and this year I’m doing long course. So other than that, it’s very similar. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are the double days. It’s also when I lift, and on Saturdays, we just have one practice in the morning. But usually mornings like Monday and Friday will be a little less intense, but a little more yardage, and then afternoons, a lot of the time, are buckets and power, so they’re a little more intense but shorter yardage.”
If you had to survive a zombie apocalypse, what three items would you take with you?
“The TikToker, who is always in the Everglades, I want him to protect me. I don’t know his name, but I would choose him. And then I think I would choose a machete and a fire starter.”
What are your thoughts on pineapple on pizza?
I like it. I wouldn’t order it, but if it’s there, I’ll eat it. I’m really not picky.
If you could magically learn any skill instantly, what would it be?
“I think that languages would be really cool, especially if I could speak any language.”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
“My parents would tell me that if you work hard, you can achieve anything, but you have to work for it. I think that is probably something that’s one of the best pieces of advice that has ever been told to me.”
What’s the most unique souvenir you’ve ever brought back from a trip?
“Just now in Greece, I bought this little plate, and it had these evil eyes on it, and then it broke.”
What’s your favorite type of weather, and what’s the best way to enjoy it?
“I think the best type of weather is just sunny and 80 degrees. I think that’s perfect. I love tank top shorts weather, and just being outdoors and walking around.”
If you had to spend a month living in a different era (past or future), which one would you choose?
“I don’t know. I mean, the past is cool, but I don’t know if I would want to live in the past. Definitely not too far back. I’m not really sure. I really like the present. If I had to live in one, I would just choose two or three years back.”
Fun Fact: Torri Huske tries to maintain the mindset that she swims better under pressure!
“I think I have a mindset or I try to maintain the mindset that I perform better under pressure because if you allow pressure to get to you, you’re not going to do well or you won’t do as well as you would like. I feel like from an early age I had this, and this is also because my dad would tell me, ‘Oh, the pressure is good. You need to feed on it and use it for adrenaline.’ If you have the mentality that it’s helping you, I think that is really helpful.”