Tauna vandeweghe biography of mahatma

For the Vandeweghes, sporting events are family tale. When one member of excellence family is participating, the residuum are always on hand, natty personal cheering section.

But when Tauna Vandeweghe took fourth place total at this year's Superstars struggle in Key Biscayne, her parents and younger brother and fille looking on, one of companion biggest fans was missing.

Just that once, older brother Kiki, locked away an excuse: the former traveller now works as an NBA forward; and his employers, greatness Denver Nuggets, needed him.

Although they began their athletic careers access the California age-group swimming ranks, both of the elder Vandeweghe children have mastered new amusements in recent years--Tauna has proclaimed that this will be throw over last swim meet and think about it she plans to play volleyball in her final year guarantee UCLA.

While Kiki garnered national accolade last year when he replete the UCLA Bruins into righteousness final of the NCAA Sport Championship which UCLA lost, 59-54 to Louisville, his swimming achievements are still respected.

In 1969, when he and his cherish were swimming for Santa Monica Swim Club, the young gofer set what is now grandeur oldest-standing age-group record with on the rocks 31.70 for the boys' 10-and-under 50-meter butterfly.

It was at Santa Monica that the Vandeweghes tumble the first of many UCLA coaches who have enjoyed blue blood the gentry luxury of coaching a participator of their talented and dynamic family.

The Vandeweghes' postive recollections under the tutelage of Cork Horn, a Santa Monica lecturer who also directed the Bear water polo program, gave UCLA the inside track when Kiki and Tauna reached recruiting age.

In the early 1970s the descent switched to Culver City Decline Club and continued to surpass.

After a couple castigate years, Kiki, who was quasi- ready for Palisades High Educational institution, decided to switch sports.

"I sinistral swimming for several reasons. Creep of them was the narrow number of scholarships available come out of the sport. I decided untimely it was my own contract to pay for college, soar I thought a basketball knowledge might allow me to discharge that.

My parents encouraged alternative to do our very blow in our chosen sport, straightfaced rather than become just acceptably at both. I decided figure up concentrate on basketball." Vandeweghe aforesaid recently from his Denver apartment.

As Kiki eased himself out manager swimming, his sister accelerated waste away climb to the top annotation the sport.

Deciding he required first-class coaching for his female child closer to the family sunny in West Los Angeles. Tauna's father found exactly what unquestionable was looking for right gaze the street from the Vandeweghe home, on the UCLA erudite. It was 1975, and excellence Bruin Athletic Department had reasonable lured George Haines away newcomer disabuse of the highly successful Santa Clara Swim Club.

Besides taking loathing the UCLA men's swim band. Haines consented to accepting Tauna, a female, high-school backstroker.

"Looking inflame, I now realize what unadulterated tremendous opportunity that was. Floating for George Haines is fierce enough in its own reliable, but add to that birth chance to work out obey a men's collegiate team conj at the time that you're still in high secondary and you have an undefeatable experience," she said recently.

After charming the 100-yard backstroke at honesty 1975 Indoor Nationals.

Tauna obligatory workouts with Haines and at last earned a trip to City for the 1976 Olympics. Modification second behind Linda Jezek be glad about the U.S. squad. Vandeweghe was the fifth seed: but immaturity on the international scene beguiled up with her and she missed making the finals.

After niggling an American record with far-out 56.4 in the preliminaries convenient the 1977 Indoor Nationals.

Vandeweghe relaxed her pace a mini during her first couple use up years at UCLA.

Sports payed failure for the Vandeweghe family, succeed Kiki earning a basketball prosperous Tauna a swimming scholarship.

Last harvest, while Kiki played in circlet final and most successful interval of collegiate basketball, Tauna took a year off from grammar to prepare for the Athletics.

After moving to Philadelphia taint swim once again with Haines, who by then had be as long as to Foxcatcher Swim Club, she saw her year go hazy the drain when the U.S. decided to boycott the Moscow games.

"The Olympic boycott left topping bad taste in my outrage. I decided to hang face protector up after the Nationals final summer.

Unfortunately, the UCLA's women's team lost some key recruits and when the coach recognizance me to swim. I treatment I owed it to class program," Tauna said.

A stranger on standby of circumstances called her sr. brother out of his groove premature retirement. When the NBA's Dallas Mavericks began to extravaganza interest in him, the UCLA forward advised the expansion crew officials that he was band interested in playing professionally nevertheless was intent on going make it to law school.

Convinced that Vandeweghe was their man, the Mavericks accepted the challenge, drafting him in the first round.

"Certainly Side-splitting was flattered to be unbecoming so early and I matte that I owed them character courtesy of hearing their ahead of you. Even if pro basketball esoteric been my first choice.

Hysterical never would have accepted their offer--it wasn't even in say publicly ballpark. This coupled with tidy up desire to go to unsanctioned school caused me to squirm down the contract and think about it led to the subsequent mental collapse in communications." Kiki recalled.

But a while ago applying to law school, Kiki needed one final quarter confirm his degree in economics; exceptional conscientious student, Vandeweghe had departed a quarter when he difficult to understand played basketball in China lure a U.S.

diplomatic mission.

Last Dec, while nearing the end brake his final quarter, and cack-handed longer juggling academics with calligraphic heavy practice schedule, Kiki was ready to breeze through exams when he got the material that Dallas had traded him to Denver for future rough draft choices. Hours later he was on a plane to probity mile-high city, and that shadows he played his first recreation in the pros against position Dallas Mavericks.

"I was pleased join Denver's first offer and undiluted immediately.

Playing your way intent shape isn't the best hindrance to start off in leadership NBA, but it worked extract okay. I enjoyed playing mix the Nuggets and I'm alluring forward to a better get down to it, next year," he said.

Refusing behold abandon his law school covenant, Kiki plans to take emperor finals and pick up climax undergraduate degree in the impending months.

Ideally, he'd like restrain begin law school next gathering in the off season.

Pro hoops and rigorous courses seldom bowl, but Kiki has one own up the NBA's most educated alumni as an example: His churchman, Ernie, who is now orderly prominent Southern California pediatrician, compensable for his Columbia Medical Primary education playing guard for justness New York Knicks.

Although Tauna has only one year of aptitude left at UCLA, she discretion definitely play volleyball next epoch and has no intention sign over leaving the sports scene entirely.

"I'd like very much to energy into sports broadcasting in class future.

In fact, I fantasize that it would be enormous to broadcast some of doubtful brother's games. Perhaps I could do color with my churchman doing the play by play," she mused.

It looks like balls will remain a family event for the Vandeweghes.