Friday, December 3, 2021
Brothers Foster Support Each Other in and out of the Water
Heading into the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming, Jake and Carson Foster talked about the exciting likelihood that they could compete against one another in an event final.
Having grown up and trained together their entire swimming careers (they are just over a year apart in age), the brothers, who both excel in the 400-meter individual medley, are best friends and have raced against each other more than anyone else in the world.
So when the opportunity to compete together in the final of the 400 IM came to fruition this year in Omaha, it fulfilled a dream they had shared since they were youngsters.
“I know his race strategy just as well as I know my own (and he knows mine that well too),” said Jake, the older of the two brothers, who hail from Cincinnati and swim for Eddie Reese at the University of Texas. “I think this level of familiarity is a strength to both of us while we swim.
“After the prelims session, we were both so pumped for one another. The 400 IM was the first finals session of the Olympic Trials, so having each other in the ready room helped to ease each other’s nerves.”
And while neither brother finished in the top two and made the team headed to Japan (Carson finished third; Jake fifth), Carson said they left Omaha eager for the next Trials in less than three years.
While both agree that missing the team after coming so close is never fun, being able to see each other after the race and give your brother and best friend a hug put everything in perspective.
“Competing in that type of a final with your brother gives you a memory that we can tell our grandchildren someday.” Carson said. “We are pumped that it is only a three-year cycle and we both have goal of getting ourselves on the Olympic Team in 2024.”
Jake agrees, knowing that 2024 will be here more quickly than most people realize.
“By the time 2024 comes around, Carson and I should hopefully be in the best shape that we will be in our entire lives,” Jake said “So, I am hopeful that we will be in a good position to both represent the USA at the Olympics.”
Jake and Carson started their swimming careers when they took a water safety class because they had a swimming pool in their backyard.
After a while, this evolved into them swimming competitively at 7 (Jake) and 6 (Carson) along with older sister, Hannah.
Training under Ken Heis at the Mason Manta Rays, the brothers gravitated toward the 400 IM because the program is very heavily IM-based – and it’s been a love-match ever since.
So when the brothers hit the water to compete in Omaha, both selfishly said he was rooting for his brother to make the team while also rooting for himself.
“I am always Carson’s biggest fan, and he is always mine,” Jake said. “Selfishly, we want to do as well as we can, but no matter what, we are always satisfied with one another’s results. I would have been extremely proud and happy (for him). In other races at Trials, Carson came extremely close to making the team.
“In the 200 Freestyle, I think a lot of the athlete section could have noticed that I was going absolutely crazy when watching his race. Because we are so close, I think that I want what is best for him almost as much as he wants it himself.”
Carson mirrored Jake’s sentiments, saying it’s important to concentrate on their own performance while still cheering on the other.
“We both support and root for one another and, for both of us to do our best, we need to focus on ourselves and try to win,’ he said. “Whatever results come, we are happy with and support one another.”
And even though both brothers had competed at 2016 Olympic Trials (also in Omaha), they said they left this year’s meet having learned some valuable lessons.
Carson said he needs to remember Trials is just another meet.
Jake said he left Omaha having realized that both the 2016 and 2020 meets were great experiences that they can both use to their advantage moving forward.
“Carson and I have talked about how 2016 was a good experience because it gave us an idea of what to expect with the atmosphere at Trials,” Jake said. “I think the 2020 Trials will be similar in that it gave us an experience with racing in a very high-stakes environment for one of the first times.”
With this year’s Trials in the rear view mirror, the brothers are focused on the 2021-22 collegiate season and continue to learn from Eddie Reese and his coaching staff.
Now a sophomore in Austin, Carson said working with Reese last year (his first at Texas) as a first-year freshman proved immensely valuable.
Suffice it to say, he’s looking forward to continuing to learn from the man he calls the G.O.A.T. of swimming coaches now that Reese returned after a brief retirement earlier this spring.
For Jake, a junior pre-med major, he realizes being able to train with such a strong group of swimmers every day will continue to make him a better swimmer and competitor.
“On our team, the bond goes well beyond swimming,” Jake said. “They are the people I will one day have in my wedding, which I think says a lot about how close we all are.”
And with the next Trials just a few years away, both brothers said they intend to use that time to focus on practice and find the little things they can improve upon – whether it’s sleep, diet or recovery between workouts.
“I plan to continue to focus on practice day by day and not get lost in the long-term of a three-year cycle,” Carson said.
Regardless of what happens in 2024 and beyond, Jake said he and Carson get their maturity and strong foundation for swimming and life from their parents, who have always supported them in and out of the water.
“Our parents are huge influences in our daily lives,” Jake said. “They have done everything in their power to make sure that we can succeed in life and are always going above and beyond to do more.”
Having grown up and trained together their entire swimming careers (they are just over a year apart in age), the brothers, who both excel in the 400-meter individual medley, are best friends and have raced against each other more than anyone else in the world.
So when the opportunity to compete together in the final of the 400 IM came to fruition this year in Omaha, it fulfilled a dream they had shared since they were youngsters.
“I know his race strategy just as well as I know my own (and he knows mine that well too),” said Jake, the older of the two brothers, who hail from Cincinnati and swim for Eddie Reese at the University of Texas. “I think this level of familiarity is a strength to both of us while we swim.
“After the prelims session, we were both so pumped for one another. The 400 IM was the first finals session of the Olympic Trials, so having each other in the ready room helped to ease each other’s nerves.”
And while neither brother finished in the top two and made the team headed to Japan (Carson finished third; Jake fifth), Carson said they left Omaha eager for the next Trials in less than three years.
While both agree that missing the team after coming so close is never fun, being able to see each other after the race and give your brother and best friend a hug put everything in perspective.
“Competing in that type of a final with your brother gives you a memory that we can tell our grandchildren someday.” Carson said. “We are pumped that it is only a three-year cycle and we both have goal of getting ourselves on the Olympic Team in 2024.”
Jake agrees, knowing that 2024 will be here more quickly than most people realize.
“By the time 2024 comes around, Carson and I should hopefully be in the best shape that we will be in our entire lives,” Jake said “So, I am hopeful that we will be in a good position to both represent the USA at the Olympics.”
Jake and Carson started their swimming careers when they took a water safety class because they had a swimming pool in their backyard.
After a while, this evolved into them swimming competitively at 7 (Jake) and 6 (Carson) along with older sister, Hannah.
Training under Ken Heis at the Mason Manta Rays, the brothers gravitated toward the 400 IM because the program is very heavily IM-based – and it’s been a love-match ever since.
So when the brothers hit the water to compete in Omaha, both selfishly said he was rooting for his brother to make the team while also rooting for himself.
“I am always Carson’s biggest fan, and he is always mine,” Jake said. “Selfishly, we want to do as well as we can, but no matter what, we are always satisfied with one another’s results. I would have been extremely proud and happy (for him). In other races at Trials, Carson came extremely close to making the team.
“In the 200 Freestyle, I think a lot of the athlete section could have noticed that I was going absolutely crazy when watching his race. Because we are so close, I think that I want what is best for him almost as much as he wants it himself.”
Carson mirrored Jake’s sentiments, saying it’s important to concentrate on their own performance while still cheering on the other.
“We both support and root for one another and, for both of us to do our best, we need to focus on ourselves and try to win,’ he said. “Whatever results come, we are happy with and support one another.”
And even though both brothers had competed at 2016 Olympic Trials (also in Omaha), they said they left this year’s meet having learned some valuable lessons.
Carson said he needs to remember Trials is just another meet.
Jake said he left Omaha having realized that both the 2016 and 2020 meets were great experiences that they can both use to their advantage moving forward.
“Carson and I have talked about how 2016 was a good experience because it gave us an idea of what to expect with the atmosphere at Trials,” Jake said. “I think the 2020 Trials will be similar in that it gave us an experience with racing in a very high-stakes environment for one of the first times.”
With this year’s Trials in the rear view mirror, the brothers are focused on the 2021-22 collegiate season and continue to learn from Eddie Reese and his coaching staff.
Now a sophomore in Austin, Carson said working with Reese last year (his first at Texas) as a first-year freshman proved immensely valuable.
Suffice it to say, he’s looking forward to continuing to learn from the man he calls the G.O.A.T. of swimming coaches now that Reese returned after a brief retirement earlier this spring.
For Jake, a junior pre-med major, he realizes being able to train with such a strong group of swimmers every day will continue to make him a better swimmer and competitor.
“On our team, the bond goes well beyond swimming,” Jake said. “They are the people I will one day have in my wedding, which I think says a lot about how close we all are.”
And with the next Trials just a few years away, both brothers said they intend to use that time to focus on practice and find the little things they can improve upon – whether it’s sleep, diet or recovery between workouts.
“I plan to continue to focus on practice day by day and not get lost in the long-term of a three-year cycle,” Carson said.
Regardless of what happens in 2024 and beyond, Jake said he and Carson get their maturity and strong foundation for swimming and life from their parents, who have always supported them in and out of the water.
“Our parents are huge influences in our daily lives,” Jake said. “They have done everything in their power to make sure that we can succeed in life and are always going above and beyond to do more.”