Meet Ben...

1.    Name: Ben Takai

 

2.    Zodiac sign: Gemini

 

3.   Hometown: Montgomery Village, MD

 

4.    Your favorite stroke: Free or Fly

 

5. 5.   Lane you swim in and why your lane is better than the other lanes on the team:
   

I switch between 3 and 4 a lot depending on how many people there are at a practice.  Those lanes are better than the other lanes because they're always laughing and having a good time!

 

6. 6.   Tell us a little bit about your aquatics/sports background? 
   

Growing up I was a Gymnast and then Junior Olympic Diver, qualifying for All-American status in high school and continuing into college.  The only time I swam on a regular basis was during the summers when I worked as a lifeguard and we had to swim so many yards per week.  I've been swimming regularly for less than a year and got hooked!

 

7. 7.   When and why did you join DCAC (any interesting stories associated)?
   

I  joined because one of my co-captains of my swim/dive team in high school was looking for a masters swim team in DC and asked if I'd go to a DCAC practice with him because, not being GLBT, he didn't know if he'd feel comfortable and I said sure I'd try it out with him.  Fast forward 8 months and I try to fit in as many practices as I can and I'm now the one trying to motivate him to show up to practices!!

 

8. 8.   What is your favorite kind of swim set/workout and why? 
   

I like stroke workouts just so I get as much practice as I can improving my technique.

 

9. 9.   Do you compete, if so, what competitions are you planning on participating in the next year? 
   

I participated in my first swim competition this past year and am contemplating any and all competitions I feel would be a great way for me to find what I enjoy and what I can improve upon in competitions.

 

10. 10.    Do you have any swimming/sports goals for the coming year? 
    

If so, what are they? My swimming goals for the upcoming year is to improve my distance swimming and being able to swim stronger, longer. I'd also like to be able to push myself more to do harder workouts.  My sports related goals for the upcoming year are to teach more yoga classes as I became a certified yoga instructor in the past year and to find a masters diving program as well.

 

11. 11.   What do you love most about swimming?
    

I love the full body workout that it provides as well as you can give yourself real and concrete goals to pursue whether it be endurance, speed, or technique.

 

12. 12. What do you dislike the most about swimming? 
    

My skin gets dry and itchy, and when you workout at other times you sweat chlorine and people look at you funny.

 

13. 13.   What's in your night stand drawer?
    

ummmm I actually don't have a nightstand but the closest thing to my bed is my alarm clock and a lamp.

 

14. 14.   Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson, or Kristen Stewart and why?
    

Robert Pattinson because it wouldn't be a felony to date him.

 

15. 15.   Ever "date" anyone on the team past or present?  Care to elaborate?
    

Ummm I don't know everyone that's ever been on the team but I don't think so far.

 

16. 16.   Anyone you want to date on the team?  Care to elaborate? 
    

Well as the social chair I think it's part of my responsibility to be as "social" as possible right?

 

17. 17.   If you could be anyone else on the swim team, who would you be and why?
    

I'd probably be Andrew Bellows because I'm pretty sure that we wear the same size pants and it'd be nice to have a whole new wardrobe.

 

18. 18.   Please describe DCAC in three words of less:
    

Fun, Active, Focused

 

19. 19.   What is something that most other people on the team don't know about you? 
    

Umm maybe that there was a stint in my life where I was a circus performer.......

 

20. 20.   How sick are you of these questions right about now?  
    

ha ha ha ha.