Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wednesday, January 28, 2015 — 7A

For Kopas, Michigan
swimming a family affair

With her success, 

the swimmer 

follows her father’s 

footsteps

By KEVIN SANTO 

Daily Sports Writer

Emily Kopas didn’t just don 

the maize and blue at her first 
competition as a Wolverine. 
Rather, she grew up repping the 
block ‘M’, thanks to her father.

William Kopas was the 1986 

Big Ten champion in the 1,650-
yard freestyle for Michigan.

It didn’t hurt that her uncle, 

Brice Kopas, was a Wolverine 
swimmer too, garnering All-
American status in 1994.

So naturally, when signing 

day arrived for Kopas, the 
18-year-old talent followed the 
branches of her family tree to 
Canham Natatorium. But she 
didn’t do it for reasons you 
would expect.

“I 
have 
always 
been 
a 

Michigan kid,” Kopas said. 
“Because my dad swam here 
and so did my uncle. Since birth, 
I’ve been in maize and blue. But 
they didn’t really have much of 
an impact in my decision.”

Though the shining lights 

of Canham Natatorium were 
certainly 
enticing, 
what 

brought Kopas to Ann Arbor 
was the challenge of Michigan 
academics.

The last name Kopas comes 

with 
lofty 
expectations 
at 

Michigan. 
But 
rather 
than 

get bogged down, the young 
Wolverine 
explained 
that 

coming from a competitive 
family inspired her to challenge 
her 
father’s 
and 
uncle’s 

success. 
Despite 
swimming 

long-distance 
events, 
Kopas 

competed, determined to etch 
her own legacy in a chapter 
of 
the 
Michigan 
women’s 

swimming program.

And Michigan coach Mike 

Bottom should thank William 

Kopas 
for 
instilling 
that 

competitive spirit, because his 
daughter’s inherited attitude is 
yielding success.

On 
Dec. 
4, 
Kopas 
was 

part of the 400-yard medley 
relay team that broke the 
previous 
Michigan 
record, 

touching the wall in 3:33.91 
at the AT&T Winter National 
Championships in Greensboro, 
North Carolina. As if one record 
wasn’t enough, the freshman 
flew 
through 
the 
200-yard 

breaststroke in 2:09.70 two 
days later, breaking a Michigan 
record that had stood since 
1995.

Kopas explained the thrill of 

breaking the 
record, 
but 

emphasized 
that 
she 

swam 
first 

for 
her 

teammates 
and 
Michigan, 
the accolades 
firmly 
second. 

She 

stressed that the record was by 
no means an end goal, but rather, 
a small step toward improving 
her times to claim both the 
other breaststroke record and a 
title for the Wolverines.

But Kopas was not ready to 

accept 
her 
record-breaking 

performance as the highlight 
of her season. Her competitive 
upbringing 
has 
taught 
her 

better.

On Jan. 6, Kopas was named 

Big Ten Freshman of the Week 
after she won the 50-meter 
breaststroke in 32.91 and the 
100-meter 
breaststroke 
in 

1:11.15 at the Orange Bowl 
Classic in Key Largo, Florida. 
The freshman also swam on 
the winning 200-meter medley 
relay with junior Ali DeLoof, 
who captured the title of Big 
Ten Swimmer of the Week on 
Jan. 6 as well.

“I’m really honored, because 

Ali is an amazing swimmer,” 
Kopas said. “I think it’s really 
exciting for the whole entire 
team to be up and coming, and 
major competitors at Big Tens. 
How many people have gotten 
Big Ten Swimmer of the Week 
is really exciting.”

But Kopas didn’t stop there 

either.

She 
followed 
up 
the 

performance 
on 
Jan. 
10, 

contributing to the 200-yard 
medley 
relay 
that 
placed 

first against Notre Dame and 
Northwestern. 
Though 
she 

didn’t win her individual races, 
she came in second behind 
Notre 
Dame 
All-American 

Emma Reaney 
in 
both 
the 

200- 
and 

100-yard 
breaststroke, 
a shortcoming 
not 
to 
be 

ashamed of.

“It was really 

exciting being 
able to compete 
with 
her,” 

Kopas said. “It 

was just exciting for all of us 
and gave hope to everybody. 
Everybody could see, especially 
the freshmen, that we aren’t 
these little underdogs. We can 
actually go up against these big 
dogs.”

Kopas saved her finest meet 

for Saturday — against the 
Buckeyes no less — though she 
entered the race as an underdog 
once again.

Claiming 
first 
place 
in 

both 
the 
100- 
and 
200-

yard breaststroke, and also 
contributing to the first-place 
200-meter medley relay team, 
she left the pool looking like a 
leader of Michigan’s up-and-
coming swim program.

For Kopas, it was business as 

usual. The saying is, “like father, 
like son.”

But for Kopas, it’s a bit 

different. It’s like father, like 
daughter.

WOMEN’S SWIMMING 

“We can 

actually go up 
against these 

big dogs.”

Positive thinking fuels Bottom

By SYLVANNA GROSS

Daily Sports Writer

Frequently, 
athletics 
and 

philosophy don’t overlap. Yet 
Michigan men’s and women’s 
swimming and diving coach 
Mike 
Bottom 
has 
defined 

this 
juncture 
in 
a 
sport 

where 
athletes 
are 
under 

immense pressure to execute, 
and winners and losers are 
determined by hundredths of a 
second.

Professor Kim Cameron of 

the Ross School of Business 
is a co-founder of the Center 
for 
Positive 
Organizational 

Scholarship 
at 
Michigan 

and a proponent of positive 
visualization as an important 
tool for a team’s success.

When teaching others his 

beliefs, Cameron encourages 
others 
to 
imagine 
three 

competitors 
standing 
arm’s 

length away from each other. 
The first is an underperforming 
athlete, the second is average 
and healthy and the third is an 
accomplished Olympian.

In order for the first athlete 

to become as good as the 
second, constructive criticism 
and negative feedback are used.

And in order to make the 

second athlete the Olympian, 
both 
Bottom 
and 
Cameron 

believe in positive affirmations 
of an athlete’s ability.

Adapting this approach has 

given Bottom an opportunity 
for a more holistic approach to 
coaching.

“We’re trying to grasp the 

best of the human condition, 
the 
highest 
aspirations 
an 

athlete has for themselves,” 
Cameron 
said. 
“There’s 

nothing brand-new or novel 
about this except for the most 
part we ignore it, because it 
takes cognitive effort to switch 
to a positive bias.”

Over Thanksgiving weekend, 

Bottom, a longtime believer 
in positive attitude, invited 
Cameron to lecture his athletes 
about the correlation between 
affirmative thinking and an 
athlete’s performance.

Cameron 
spoke 
to 
the 

athletes about the benefits of 
having 
gratuitous 
thoughts, 

which allows a person’s physical 
well-being to strengthen with a 
more affirmative mindset. To 
get to that point, he suggested 
keeping a gratitude journal.

“Numerous swimmers keep 

gratitude 
journals,” 
Bottom 

said. “But we don’t enforce it, 
they do it because they want to.”

And Bottom’s unorthodox 

methods are paying of.

Now in his sixth season 

with Michigan — his second 
as head coach of both the men 
and women’s teams — Bottom 
has led both teams to a nearly 
perfect dual-meet record (49-
3-1), coached in the past five 
Olympics, and was named Big 
Ten Swimming Coach of the 
Year four times.

“The word humility is often 

equated 
with 
meekness 
or 

weakness,” Cameron said. “The 
real definition of humility is 
opening to learning, openness 
to feedback from others in order 
to approve. So humility and 
improvement are very closely 
aligned. Mike is a very humble 
guy in that sense.”

This 
characteristic 
hasn’t 

gone 
unnoticed 
by 
his 

swimmers, either.

To senior and co-captain of 

the men’s team, Richard Funk, 
Bottom was a large part why he 
committed to Michigan.

“Bottom is a great leader 

and a visionary, not just in the 
pool but in academics and in 
the community. He surrounded 
himself with a great staff,” Funk 
said. “(He taught me that) in 
order to be a leader you need to 
know first how to be a follower. 
You need to understand where 
the team is and how to approach 
a situation.”

Added 
freshman 
Tristan 

Sanders: “While (the coaches) 
are teaching you how to swim, 
they’re teaching you about life, 
about how to be a leader. We’re 
protective of each other and of 
Michigan.”

Forgiveness, 
compassion 

and 
thankfulness 
are 
the 

three pillars of what Bottom 
considers the values it takes to 

be a Wolverine, a role that also 
comes with the responsibility of 
protecting this code of conduct.

Swimming is one of the 

most mentally draining sports, 
and 
many 
swimmers 
say 

they are unmotivated by the 
grueling practice schedule that 
accompanies the sport. Yet the 
positive team atmosphere is a 
reason his team continues to 
fight through early morning 
practices.

“He reminds us on a daily 

basis to think positive,” said 
junior Marni Oldershaw.

Cameron 
cited 
research 

that shows that for an athlete 
to 
flourish, 
three 
to 
five 

compliments should be given 
for every negative criticism of 
their performance.The coach is 
the single most important figure 
to make sure this happens.

Bottom 
believes 
a 
coach 

should not only help their 
athletes achieve greatness now, 
but also lay the foundation 
for it in their future. He 
understands 
that 
every 

single one of his swimmers 
has a life outside of Canham 
Natatorium, encouraging them 
to push through their personal 
problems.

“For me, my passion to win has 

nothing to do with my ego. It has 
to do everything with wanting 
the athletes to internalize the 
things we’re teaching them 
here,” Bottom said. “Excellence 
is an important part of not just 
winning, but excellence is an 
important part of life.”

Cameron and Bottom both 

recognize 
the 
extraordinary 

outcomes 
that 
might 
come 

with this focus on positive 
affirmation. 
Already 
under 

Bottom’s 
tutelage, 
the 

Wolverines have shown great 
success, especially since the 
integration of the men’s and 
women’s teams.

Positive visualization could 

be an opportunity to extract 
excellence 
not 
only 
from 

Bottom’s swimmers, but also 
from all athletes across campus.

“It’s 
an 
opportunity 
for 

Michigan to be Michigan,” 
Bottom said.

Michigan’s intergalactic fan

By TED JANES

Daily Sports Writer

You won’t find him fighting 

the Rebel Alliance on Luke 
Skywalker’s home planet of 
Tatooine, but you might find 
him cheering in the stands at a 
Michigan hockey game. Don’t 
expect to see his face, though.

Around 
2011, 
Michigan 

superfan Jon Leopold began 
showing his support for the 
Wolverines by dressing up as 
a Stormtrooper from the Star 
Wars 
movies, 
decorated 
in 

maize and blue.

The unique sight garnered 

attention 
from 
spectators, 

athletes and the media alike. 
When Leopold first dressed 
as the “Wolverine Trooper” at 
a Michigan football game, he 
received 
numerous 
requests 

to take pictures with fans — so 
many that the football players 
had showered and met with 
their families before Leopold 
even left the Big House.

Though he is not a Michigan 

alumnus or an Ann Arbor 
native, 
Leopold 
had 
been 

coming to Michigan athletic 
events years before he unveiled 
the Stormtrooper outfit.

He makes the drive from 

Goodrich — just outside of Flint 
— multiple times a month, and 
sometimes multiple times a 
week to see games. But driving 
two and a half hours round 
trip has never put a halt to his 
dedication.

One of Leopold’s favorite 

memories from his time as 
the Wolverine Trooper came 
when the men’s basketball team 
earned a spot in the 2013 Final 
Four in Atlanta, Georgia.

“I was at the pep rally at the 

team’s hotel,” Leopold said. “At 
the end of it, Tim Hardaway Jr. 
pointed me out in the crowd, so 
Coach Beilein called me up to 
the stage to lead the crowd in 

singing ‘The Victors’ to finish 
the rally.”

Though 
Leopold 
gained 

attention 
for 
attendance 

at 
numerous 
football 
and 

basketball games, he’s also a 
regular fan at water polo, golf 
and cross country events. If 
Michigan has a team for it, he 
has been to games to cheer them 
on.

Leopold has gained more 

popularity in the Michigan 
community 
than 
he 
ever 

expected. Over the past few 
years, 
he 
has 
accumulated 

nearly 10,000 followers on social 
media, received attention from 
USA Today and even handed out 
over 1,500 Wolverine Trooper 
trading cards.

To 
accompany 
the 

stormtrooper outfit, Leopold 
also dons a maize and blue 
Canadian 
flag. 
While 
not 

a 
Canadian 
himself, 
his 

grandmother is from Sarnia, a 
city just across the international 
border 
from 
the 
state 
of 

Michigan.

The flag itself is covered with 

signatures 
from 
prominent 

Canadians around Michigan 
athletics, 
most 
notably 

Michigan hockey coach Red 
Berenson and former basketball 
player Nik Stauskas. At the 
swim meet against Ohio State 
this past weekend, he held the 
flag high every time Edmonton 
native and senior swimmer 
Richard Funk entered the pool.

While the Wolverine Trooper 

is one of the most consistent 
and 
dedicated 
supporters, 

his presence in the Michigan 
community stretches far beyond 
his love for sports.

“I’m 
part 
of 
the 
501st 

Legion, a worldwide Star Wars 
costuming group that does 
all kinds of charity events,” 
Leopold said. “Annually, the 
501st Legion raises about 25 
million dollars for charity. I 
go with them and visit kids at 
C.S. Mott Children’s hospital 
dressed up as the Wolverine 

Trooper.”

A member of the Great Lakes 

Garrison, the Michigan chapter 
of the 501st Legion, Leopold has 
worn the costume for photos 
at fundraising events such as 
the 
Wolverine 
vs. 
Buckeye 

Challenge For Life, an annual 
event in which both schools 
raise funds for organ donations.

“Occasionally 
people 
will 

give me a few dollars for 
taking a photo,” Leopold said. 
“All of that always goes to the 
Children’s Hospital. I never 
ask for money, but some people 
insist that I take it, so with it I 
make a donation.”

From fan donations, he once 

raised over $600 for a girl 
who was fighting lymphoma. 
Leopold earns great praise from 
the community for his support, 
and all he asks for in return is a 
smile on a few young faces.

Though most Stormtroopers 

hail from the dark side, this 
one has proven to be the 
exception.

PAUL SHERMAN/Daily

The Wolverine Trooper has become a fixture at Michigan sporting events and charity functions.

Substitutes help
‘M’ stay steady

By BEN FIDELMAN

Daily Sports Writer

Competing in one of the most 

physically taxing college sports, 
the Michigan wrestling team’s 
depth is tested often. Midway 
through the 2014-15 season, the 
16th-ranked Wolverines (3-2 Big 
Ten, 5-3 overall) are seeing major 
contributions from wrestlers who 
weren’t in the starting lineup at 
the beginning of the year, but are 
continuing to succeed using the 
“next man up” mentality.

Highlighting that group are 

redshirt freshman George Fisher 
and fifth-year senior Zebulon 
Hilyard.

At 
the 
141-pound 
weight 

class, Fisher has stepped in for 
fifth-year senior Steve Dutton, 
who ended his career after the 
Eastern Michigan Duals due to 
multiple concussions. Coming off 
of an All-American performance 
in 2014, Dutton was projected to 
be a staple of the Michigan lineup 
this season. So when Fisher filled 
the vacancy, a probable win 
turned into a definite question 
mark.

Though he hasn’t yet replaced 

Dutton’s All-American results, 
Fisher has done surprisingly well 
sliding into the starting lineup. 
During the Southern Scuffle 
— a tournament that many 
team members competed in on 
Jan. 1 and 2 — he pinned three 
wrestlers and finished with a 6-2 
record, good for seventh place. In 
dual season, Fisher has held his 
own, posting a 3-3 record (20-11 
overall).

“(Next man up) has been a big 

part of our lineup this year,” said 
Michigan coach Joe McFarland. 
“We really haven’t been healthy. 
George (Fisher) has done a 
tremendous job. Earlier this 

year he was wrestling at (the 
133-pound weight class) and we 
moved him up to 141, and (he) is 
really just doing a great job. He’s 
getting great experience, too.”

In what’s believed to be more 

of a temporary situation, Hilyard 
has been filling in for injured 
junior Rossi Bruno at the 133-
pound weight class. Even though 
this is Hilyard’s fifth season 
in the program, the last three 
matchups have been his first dual 
meet experiences in his college 
career. The first two of those 
starts were tough for Wolverine 
fans to swallow, as Hilyard was 
defeated by his opponents from 
Ohio State and Wisconsin.

Last Sunday against Indiana, 

he pulled through with his first 
career dual meet win. At the time, 
Hilyard’s 3-0 decision pushed the 
Michigan lead to 9-0.

“Bruno 
goes 
down, 
and 

Zeb (Hilyard) steps in there,” 
McFarland said. “These guys 
have to be ready when those 
opportunities arise, and I think 
for the most part they have done 
a great job of that.”

Bruno is expected back in the 

lineup next weekend for the dual 
against Penn State.

With the Big Ten standing 

alone as the best conference in 
college wrestling, placing four 
teams in the top 10 and 11 teams 
in the top 25, showing depth like 
the Wolverines have this year has 
been key when dealing with such 
a grueling schedule.

Michigan 
heads 
into 
the 

final three weeks of conference 
play needing to finish strong to 
compensate for a pair of losses to 
rivals No. 2 Minnesota and No. 4 
Ohio State.

There might be more bumps 

along the way, but as always, 
someone will step up.

WRESTLING

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SWIMMING

