Each Friday, the Alaska Nanooks will be publishing blog posts from one or more newcomers from each of Alaska's 10 varsity sports throughout their preseason. More sports will join the blog following their first official practice.

Swimming
By: Rachel Beal (Fr. | Des Moines, Iowa)

"One thing that all the coaches I have ever had have told me, is that commitment is key when it comes to swimming. I started club swimming at the age of five. Most people don't know that swimming is a year-round sport with no breaks, 6-to-7 times a week and 2-to-3 hours a day. When it comes to college, it's twice a day, four hours, five days a week. Swimming is a commitment that you have to stick with to improve.

Another famous quote that you will hear often from swim coaches is that it takes two practices to make up for the one practice you miss. You miss a month; it takes two months to get back to where you were before. Swimming is a commitment.

I have always looked at swimming as a challenge, arguably the most challenging sport of them all. Whether you are swimming 40 laps or four, swimming is painful. In each stroke, you use the majority of your muscles, so your whole body hurts. But what I like to say to myself is, 'No pain, no gain.' I like to overcome pain by improving and I use it as a gauge of how fast I'm going.

Swimming keeps me constantly motivated. One thing I have learned form swimming with UAF for just about four weeks now, is that you must desire to want. The want to improve, the want to challenge yourself, etc. You have to want it, to achieve that goal, to drop two seconds, to get top-eight in your event. You have to want it yourself. The want is the motivation that keeps me swimming."

Hockey
By: Max Newton (Fr. | Forward | Vancouver, British Columbia)

"It's been an exciting week here for the Nanook hockey team! We've had our first official week of practice. It has been a high-tempo week with everyone working hard for our Blue vs. Gold game this week. The guys here are all excited to get in some game action as the season is just around the corner.

Make sure you guys come out and support us for our Blue vs. Gold game this Saturday, as it promises to be a lot of fun. The game consists of two, 25-minute halves with a little skills competition at intermission. The skills competition will have a variety of events including fastest skater, hardest shot and a shootout. Make sure you come out and have a good time before heading to Starvation Gulch, there will also be a Skate with the Nooks after the game.

Our week has been hectic with a lot of practice and workouts. The team is really getting zoned in for the season, which is just around the corner. Practices have been fast-paced and competitive. I'm really excited about getting this season started and seeing our team perform.

A little more about me is that when I was younger, I won a contest to go to Beijing for the Summer Olympics in 2008. It was a super cool experience where I got to see diving and basketball. I got to walk on the Great Wall of China and see all the other wonderful tourist sights Beijing has to offer.

This week's featured freshman is #9 for your Alaska Nanooks hockey team, Justin Young from Leduc, Alberta. A fun fact about him was that he used to race cars at Edmonton International Speedway when he was younger. He's a very high-profiled prospect, as he was nominated for the Alberta Junior Hockey League's MVP award last season, as he absolutely tore up the league.

So again, make sure you guys come out and watch our Blue vs. Gold game this Saturday. It starts at 7:07pm so make sure you get there early to get a good seat."

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks, follow @AlaskaNanooks on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks page on Facebook.