February was eventful for professional swimmer Matt Lowe, formerly of Minot. He conducted swimming clinics here and in Bismarck, Center, and Grand Forks. He visited parents Tom and Cheryl Lowe. He trained with former coach Kathy Aspaas, who happens to be his aunt, and Minot High School swimming standout Dagny Knutson. And a small plane crashed into a building housing the Internal Revenue Service office just blocks from his apartment in Austin, Texas. A confident Matt Lowe, 24, agreed to an interview with Patron. Mr. Lowe’s choice of swimming as his major sport – he also lettered in soccer and track and played golf – was not serendipitous. “There definitely was a family influence,” he said, referring to Mrs. Aspaas. “I found a lot of success and passion for swimming” within the family.
A former MHS swimming star, Mr. Lowe’s swimming bona fides are impressive and certainly too many to enumerate. That said: “I realized early in my high school career that I had a tremendous amount of talent and that with some hard work and dedication I would really take my career to new levels,” Mr. Lowe said. “So, at that moment it was my goal to become the greatest male swimmer in North Dakota history and at the same time take my teammates along for the ride by helping them in any way I could. “In the end, if I could leave the Minot High program with something to build on, then in my mind I could call my high school career a success.” Mr. Lowe has high regard for high school swimming Coach Ken Disher. “Mr. Disher allowed me the freedom to grow as an athlete throughout my six years with the team,” he said. “He taught me to succeed with much humility and really help me keep a level head as I became a bigger name in North Dakota and in the sport of swimming.” He graduated from Minot High School in 2004. University swimming Those high school swimming accomplishments earned him a full scholarship at the University of Texas – the Longhorns. He graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology. UT has a storied history in swimming, including coach Eddie Reese and assistant coach Kris Kubik. Mr. Reese is also a four-time U.S. Olympics men’s head coach (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008), and Mr. Kubik was an U.S. Olympics assistant coach in 2008. “Eddie and Kris have been together for over 30 years and have developed one of the best swimming programs in the world,” Mr. Lowe told Patron. “Eddie and Kris have obviously helped take my swimming career to new levels,” he said. “But more importantly, they’ve developed me as a man and helped me outside the pool a lot more than in the pool. I think the life skills and decisions they have instilled in me will go a lot further than any swimming award. That’s something I’ll always be grateful for.” The sheer size of the university – larger than Minot – impressed Mr. Lowe. “But once I got settled, I discovered that I was part of one big family,” he said. “The athletic department and the swimming and diving team support you in everything. It turned out to be an easy transition, and I couldn’t have been happier with my decision to go to Texas and become a Longhorn.” Mr. Lowe also credits his UT teammates with his success. “To have 35 guys training with you every day – and who are there to support you each step of the way – is something pretty special,” he said. “We made it a priority to take care of each other, and, in turn, you have guys willing to take bigger risks in order to help not only themselves, but the guy next to them. If each guy can find a way to help a teammate next to them, the journey is much easier and more enjoyable.” Oh, yeah, Mr. Lowe’s high school success continued at UT. A short list includes: Professional swimming Mr. Lowe’s swimming prowess has extended beyond the academic setting. He was a 2004 and 2008 U.S. Olympics Trials qualifier. His immediate goals include qualifying for the U.S. National Team and the 2012 Olympics in London. Mr. Lowe has put other goals on hold to support his swimming career, including studying at Palmer College of Chiropractic at San Jose, California, where he has been accepted. But even professional swimmers need to support themselves. Mr. Lowe helps to coach a small Austin swimming club, and he is an assistant instructor for an adult swim class at Austin Community College. “Both of these jobs allow me the flexibility to train and compete at an elite level and help support myself through the process of being a professional swimmer,” he said. “I’m able to help individuals of all ages. Part of my time is geared toward helping age-group swimmers improved their technique and conditioning.” “It’s been my goal since becoming a professional swimmer to give back to the swimming community in any way I can, and both these jobs have given me the platform to do so on very different levels.” One benefit of succeeding in one of the best university swimming program in the world is the ability to continue training with the UT team and coaches Reese and Kubik. There are currently thirty collegiate and six professionals on the team. Included on the team are Olympic gold medalists, world and U.S. record holders, national champions, and NCAA champions. “You can see that day in and day out I’m surrounded by the best swimmers in the world,” Mr. Lowe said. “When you can swim with these guys every day and everyone is willing to help each other get faster, there is no doubt that you’re in the right place. “It can’t get any better than this.” Well, we’ll see. The London Olympics is a mere two years away. That is bloody exciting for the swimmer ranked sixth in the United States and twenty-second in the world. |
