Olympians bring experience to IU campers

Amanda Beard has not met Kelly Clarkson, she loves to shop at Nordstrom, if she had to choose she would be a Colts fan and, sorry boys, she does have a boyfriend.\nThose were just some of the answers Beard gave during an IU swim camp Q&A session Monday morning in the Student Recreational Sports Center auditorium.\nBeard fielded several dozen questions from the campers, ages ranging from 8-18, on every topic imaginable. She discussed everything from her favorite movie ("The Notebook") to her first experience at the Olympics at age 14.\n"I've been swimming competitively ever since I was 10," Beard told the audience. "I'm a very competitive person, no matter what I'm doing."\nWith the 2008 Olympics in Beijing coming up, Beard is in "crunch time" for her training schedule. Beard is training to make her fourth Olympic appearance.\n"I hope I make it," Beard said. "Cross your fingers and cheer for me."\nThe seven-time Olympic medal winner stormed onto the international stage at the young age of 14, but admits she couldn't imagine any of the young faces in the audience doing the same.\n"When I look at these 14-year-olds it's hard to believe. When I was 14, I didn't feel young, I thought I was mature," Beard said.\nBeard passed around one of her Olympic gold medals to the audience. She has won two gold medals, four silvers and one bronze medal, total. \n"She made the Olympics at such a young age," IU camp instructor Michael Hewitt said. "She really inspires a lot of them."\nBeard isn't the only former Olympian helping out with the swim camp. Lars Jorgensen, a 1988 Olympian, is serving as an instructor at the camp. \n"I go back with coach (Ray) Looze," Jorgensen said. "He invited me to the camp. It's a lot of fun to instruct the kids."\nAlthough getting advice from an Olympian is rare, the campers will be able to receive instruction from Jorgensen all week. \nJorgensen said his favorite part about the weeklong program is the campers.\n"I'm just trying to reach a couple of the kids and give them a chance to be great," he said.