By Scott Allen
Arizona Daily Wildcat
While the UA men's swimming team continues to train for the upcoming season, one of its members remains at home in Laguna Hills, Calif., recuperating from appendicitis.
Junior distance freestylist Chad Carvin, who already set the standards for the NCAA championships last March and with his performance at the World Championships last month, is home for the fall semester recovering from the illness.
"My not being there shouldn't make much of a difference," Carvin said.
Carvin, who has just started back training, will miss meets against New Mexico, conference rivals Southern Cal, UCLA and Arizona State, and the Texas Longhorn Invitational, before he comes back during Christmas break to start training with the team again.
"It is a good thing that this happened now rather than (closer to) the NCAA's," assistant swim coach Mariusz Podkoscielny said.
Carvin echoed that same sentiment.
"It bums me out that it had to happen, with the timing," Carvin said, referring back to his good performances in the World Championships. "If it is going to happen though, better now I guess."
"He's been our leader," Podkoscielny said. "We will do the best we can (without Carvin)."
Podkoscielny said both the men's and women's teams should be stronger this year than last, mainly thanks to the incoming freshman class.
"I definitely think that this is a better team," he said. "I think that right now they (the freshmen) are trying to adjust to a new environment."
Also, Podkoscielny said that sophomore swimmer Craig Brockman will have his knee scoped this week and will be out for two to three weeks depending on what the doctors say.
"It might or might not affect him," he said.
He also said that the women's team looks great and isn't having any injury problems at all.
As for Carvin, although his scar has not healed completely yet, he has gotten himself back into the pool and started training again on his own.
"I'm starting to do well again," Carvin said.
Carvin will be back at school in January and should be able to compete in the season's remaining meets, starting with Stanford Jan. 20.