Feb. 7, 2003
A junior on the Green Wave track teams, Carlyne Pradieu will be one of the key runners for Tulane in 2003. Also a standout on the Wave cross country team, the Brooklyn native competes in the middle distance events during the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
What has been your memorable experience with Tulane athletics?
"I would say freshmen year when the women won conference outdoor; that was my first time being part of that atmosphere. Everyone came together and we did what we had to do. People were sick. People were hurt, but we still came together and we won. It was 10, 15 of us and other schools had like thirty or forty people, but we still won. I liked that a lot."
How has the experience of being a student-athlete at Tulane helped you?
"I guess that it is preparing me for the real world because it is really hard managing your time and studying and getting everything done. But you get through it and it makes you harder at the end of the day."
What is your daily schedule like?
"Tuesday, I have class from 11:00-12:20, 12:30-1:50, 2:00-3:50, then I have to come out here and practice. And then I take a quick shower, get something to eat, and then I have class from 6:00-7:30."
What is your major?
"I am majoring in exercise science with physical therapy. I came in Pre-Med but I really don't like that much science. Physical therapy, I want to get into that field because my father is a doctor, and my mother is a nurse."
What else do you do on campus?
"Well, our time is really restricted now that track season is here. We really can't do anything. Some of us always get together and come by my room and watch TV or as a team go out to the movies. We always try to do something as a team even outside of the track."
If you could play any other sport at Tulane, what would it be?
"I don't think that I would because the other teams like basketball are too demanding during break. For Christmas and Thanksgiving, I want to go home and see my family and I don't think that I'm not tall enough for volleyball. But I would probably try out soccer."
What is your personal philosophy on the track and in life?
"Give it all that you got because you may not have a second chance to get it done."
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
"I have no idea because I'm like a big kid. I always watch cartoons from Nickelodeon to Cartoon Network. I love the Simpsons and King of the Hill. I like Sponge Bob Squarepants. It's funny. All of my teammates watch it too. I'm just a big kid and I stay watching cartoons."
What is your dream vacation spot for something like Spring Break?
"Where the football players went, I want to go to Hawaii. I really want to go to Hawaii as a team because I heard that the football team really had fun there. It is just different. Seeing how other people practice and train. And it would be nice just to visit there. The weather is always nice.
What is your favorite sports team or team to watch?
"I never liked football when I was little, but since I have come here, I started watching Tulane Football. So now if I see it on TV, I'll watch it. But always with New Yorkers, we like the New York Yankees, of course. Now, I'm more interested in watching football because of Tulane. We really do help them out with the recruits when they come out every Sunday. We're out there cheering them on. But I would really like to go to Shea Stadium and watch."
Who is your favorite professional athlete?
Regina Jacobs, since I do the eight [800-meter run] and the mile. She is like wow. I really like her. She motivates me sometimes because she doesn't have enough speed like me but she says she uses her endurance as speed, I really like that."
What's your favorite food during training and your favorite forbidden food?
"Well, I like baked ziti and chicken parmesan and stuff like that during training. After that when I got back home, you can't tell anyone, but I love McDonald's and New York pizza is the best. I am always eating McDonald's and pizza. A number seven crispy chicken sandwich."
What is the best advice that was ever given to you and what would tell someone today?
"Always have God by your side because with him all things are possible because there were some times that I wanted to give up by I turned to him. Anything is possible. Sometimes you can be scared about running a race with a person, like I run the 800, that does 2:02 and I am only running 2:10, but just never say that you can't do it. Because you could have a good day and they could have a bad day. Don't just back off because they run 2:02; you can do it."
Who is your favorite professor/coach at Tulane?
"All of my professors are nice because I have to get to know them because we travel and I have to talk to them. I like all of my professors. We are cool with all of the coaches and we always say hi and get to know them."
Any final comment, thanks, or random thoughts?
"I would like to thank Coach Bazil [former Tulane track coach Ron Bazil], because first of all, he gave me the opportunity to come here and see what I can do. He gave me the opportunity to run and he really worked with me. He really did, although sometimes I really hated him, but he really got me to where I needed to be last year. And I guess that it was what I need. I thank Coach Van Norman because she is doing a really great job with us right now and she will get me ready for conference. Hopefully we will win; we know that we will win. We have to keep that positive attitude. So far she has been good to this program. So I don't have any regrets about them hiring her."
