ISU swimming and diving experienced some southern comfort in the Smoky Mountains and in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., taking a break from the below freezing temperatures in Ames during the break.

The ISU diving team headed to Tennessee for its winter training and for the Tennessee Invitational, while the ISU swimming team traveled farther to Florida for its winter training.

The diving team faced a unique environment and great competition in its event.

“Overall, in Tennessee, I thought that we got what we needed to out of the meet,” said ISU diving coach Jeff Warrick. “It was a big meet experience, a lot of divers, around fifty, and a lot of good divers as well. We need to be put in that position against some of the best competition.”

Julie Dickinson had a standout performance in 3-meter diving for Iowa State, finishing ninth in prelims and twelfth in the finals.

Elyse Brouillette was also given the opportunity to perform on a more elevated platform than what is regularly available to her. Brouillette has dealt with shoulder problems in the past, and this was her first work in 7-meter diving since her freshman year.

“I think it was a good bonding trip for them,” Warrick said. “They are already a close-knit team, I just think it was another opportunity for them to work through the hard stuff. Practices that time of year can get tough and long with two-a-days, so that kind of draws them together, but then we also did some fun things as well.”

The swimming team did not have the opportunity to compete during break, but was pushed hard in Florida during its winter training.

“We get to train long course and we get to train outside, so they get in a fresh environment, instead of breathing in the stale air,” said ISU swimming coach Duane Sorenson. “Chlorinated air can get old after a while.”

The swimmers trained four hours per day, two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon during their trip. The team was able to train and bond a lot because they were together so much.”

Senior Kristy Kunkel described the winter training, her final winter experience with ISU swimming.

“It was a really fun trip. This year, we had really good weather and we got to go to different pools,” Kunkel said. “Usually, we just train at the same pool. A new scenery was definitely better because it was new for everyone. We all trained really hard and had a lot of fun at the ocean.”

Kunkel specifically pointed out an annual activity that the team partakes in every year at winter training.

“We always do skits every year and so that’s the time where all of the team can joke around with each other and the coaches join in,” Kunkel said. “That’s a good bonding experience.”

ISU swimming and diving will follow up its successful trips with a meet at 4 p.m. on Jan. 16 at Illinois.