Rattler Aquatics team captain Douglas Carrington, 22, embraces an attitude of determination and hard work, encouraging his teammates to focus on putting in their best efforts.
One of Carrington’s goals is for FAMU to win the Northeastern Conference Championship this weekend.
“The main goal would be to win the whole thing. It would be a nice way to go for my senior year,” he said.
The competition marks the first time FAMU will appear in the conference, squaring off against schools such as Long Island University, Mount St. Mary’s College and University of Maryland Baltimore County.
In his final stand on the springboard as a Rattler, Carrington plans to compete in the 200 and 400-meter individual medleys and the 200-meter backstroke.
“After this, I can’t competitively swim for this university anymore. It’s kind of hitting close to home. It would be good to win this championship. It would be a nice way to top off a career,” he said.
The Wappingers Falls, N.Y., native chose FAMU because he wanted to attend a HBCU and sought a change of scenery. He also wanted to swim.
Carrington started his Rattler aquatic career as a walk-on. He earned a scholarship during the second semester of his first year swimming at FAMU and continued to contribute significantly to the team ever since, especially in the 200-meter backstroke.
Aquatics coach Mark Howell is pleased with Carrington’s competitive attitude.
“He’s a great example of how an older swimmer should act around the younger ones. Doug has a great work ethic. He does a lot of research and is consistently working to better his stroke and always finding the ways to help other swimmers improve their strokes.”
Carrington recalled swimming at an early age.
“I just remember my father taking me to swimming lessons when I was seven,” he said, laughing. “I asked my parents a couple of weeks ago what kind of kid I was when I went to swimming lessons and they said ‘you were always crying and people would always (look) at you’.”
While he is no longer crying, as captain of the swim team, people are still watching him.
“He has always been willing to do what’s best for the team. He will also came in to the recruiting sessions to show what FAMU swimming and diving is all about,” Howell said.
Gui Bryant, 21, another graduating senior on the team, described his teammate as being “determined and focused.”
Bryant, a business administration student from Detroit, said Carrington’s attitude has a great impact on the team.
“He has a desire to win, even in everyday practice. He always reminds us that we have conferences and meets coming up, so we have to practice the best that we can.”
Although he will not be swimming any longer for FAMU, Carrington asserted that he will still be willing to help, either as an assistant coach or just generally.
“I’ve put a lot of time in the program and as long as I can stay around and help out, that’s what I’ll do.”
Contact Melissa J. Bridgewater at bridgewater_mj@hotmail.com.