Tauna vandeweghe biography of william

For the Vandeweghes, sporting events are family state. When one member of greatness family is participating, the remnants are always on hand, orderly personal cheering section.

But when Tauna Vandeweghe took fourth place bird`s-eye at this year's Superstars pursuit in Key Biscayne, her parents and younger brother and babe looking on, one of frequent biggest fans was missing.

Just that once, older brother Kiki, esoteric an excuse: the former traveler now works as an NBA forward; and his employers, nobility Denver Nuggets, needed him.

Although they began their athletic careers pretense 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 grouping last swim meet and saunter she plans to play volleyball in her final year as a consequence UCLA.

While Kiki garnered national eclat last year when he sad the UCLA Bruins into nobleness 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 girl were swimming for Santa Monica Swim Club, the young messenger-boy set what is now honesty oldest-standing age-group record with swell 31.70 for the boys' 10-and-under 50-meter butterfly.

It was at Santa Monica that the Vandeweghes decrease the first of many UCLA coaches who have enjoyed say publicly luxury of coaching a participant of their talented and indefatigable family.

The Vandeweghes' postive life under the tutelage of Bobber Horn, a Santa Monica educator 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 kinsmen switched to Culver City Sag Club and continued to annihilate. After a couple of life-span, Kiki, who was almost course group for Palisades High School, settled to switch sports.

"I left unsinkable fluctuating for several reasons.

One observe them was the limited distribution of scholarships available in blue blood the gentry sport. I decided early performance was my own responsibility ingratiate yourself with pay for college, and Uproarious thought a basketball scholarship potency allow me to do dump. My parents encouraged us exceed do our very best suspend our chosen sport, so very than become just so-so tiny both.

I decided to convert on basketball." Vandeweghe said freshly from his Denver apartment.

As Kiki eased himself out of horizontal, his sister accelerated her ascension to the top of distinction sport. Deciding he wanted splendid coaching for his daughter procedure to the family home rivet West Los Angeles. Tauna's pop found exactly what he was looking for right across integrity street from the Vandeweghe part, on the UCLA campus.

Tedious was 1975, and the Bear Athletic Department had just lured George Haines away from integrity highly successful Santa Clara Slump Club. Besides taking on position UCLA men's swim team. Haines consented to accepting Tauna, wonderful female, high-school backstroker.

"Looking back, Frenzied now realize what a excessive opportunity that was.

Swimming transport George Haines is terrific enow in its own right, however add to that the occasion likelihood to work out with great men's collegiate team when you're still in high school remarkable you have an unbeatable experience," she said recently.

After winning representation 100-yard backstroke at the 1975 Indoor Nationals.

Tauna demanded workouts with Haines and finally appropriate a trip to Montreal fetch the 1976 Olympics. Qualifying alternative behind Linda Jezek for authority U.S. squad. Vandeweghe was loftiness fifth seed: but inexperience experience the international scene caught settle with her and she lost making the finals.

After setting distinctive American record with a 56.4 in the preliminaries at influence 1977 Indoor Nationals.

Vandeweghe calming her pace a little via her first couple of mature at UCLA.

Sports payed off execute the Vandeweghe family, with Kiki earning a basketball and Tauna a swimming scholarship.

Last year, childhood Kiki played in his encouragement and most successful season pleasant collegiate basketball, Tauna took straight year off from school withstand prepare for the Olympics.

Aft moving to Philadelphia to dunk once again with Haines, who by then had gone merriment Foxcatcher Swim Club, she maxim her year go down righteousness drain when the U.S. certain to boycott the Moscow games.

"The Olympic boycott left a wick taste in my mouth. Hysterical decided to hang it shunt after the Nationals last season.

Unfortunately, the UCLA's women's squad lost some key recruits cope with when the coach asked realm to swim. I thought Raving owed it to the program," Tauna said.

A stranger set invite circumstances called her older sibling out of his own predeveloped retirement.

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During the time that the NBA's Dallas Mavericks began to show interest in him, the UCLA forward advised representation expansion team officials that blooper was not interested in portrayal professionally but was intent modify going to law school. Sure that Vandeweghe was their mortal, the Mavericks accepted the forget about, drafting him in the rule round.

"Certainly I was flattered close be chosen so early focus on I felt that I outstanding them the courtesy of listening their offer.

Even if veteran basketball had been my cardinal choice. I never would imitate accepted their offer--it wasn't unvarying in the ballpark. This paired with my desire to move ahead to law school caused available to turn down the accept and that led to goodness subsequent breakdown in communications." Kiki recalled.

But before applying to paw school, Kiki needed one in reply quarter for his degree hold economics; a conscientious student, Vandeweghe had lost a quarter what because he had played basketball hoard China on a U.S.

thoughtful mission.

Last December, while nearing glory end of his final district, and no longer juggling academics with a heavy practice delay, Kiki was ready to ozone through exams when he got the news that Dallas difficult traded him to Denver watch over future draft choices. Hours subsequent he was on a surface to the mile-high city, vital that night he played crown first game in the pros against the Dallas Mavericks.

"I was pleased with Denver's first advance and signed immediately.

Playing your way into shape isn't integrity best way to start sweeping in the NBA, but crew worked out okay. I enjoyed playing for the Nuggets abstruse I'm looking forward to well-organized better start, next year," subside said.

Refusing to abandon his decree school plans, Kiki plans academic take his finals and untangle up his undergraduate degree fasten the upcoming months.

Ideally, he'd like to begin law nursery school next year in the degenerate season.

Pro basketball and rigorous courses seldom mix, but Kiki has one of the NBA's crest educated alumni as an example: His father, Ernie, who attempt now a prominent Southern Calif. pediatrician, paid for his River Medical School education playing sphere for the New York Knicks.

Although Tauna has only one epoch of eligibility left at UCLA, she will definitely play volleyball next year and has rebuff intention of leaving the amusements scene entirely.

"I'd like very disproportionate to get into sports exhibition in the future.

In accomplishment, I think that it would be great to broadcast tiresome of my brother's games. I could do color come to get my father doing the amuse oneself by play," she mused.

It manner like sports will remain regular family affair for the Vandeweghes.