Anita Parisi

Hometown and Current residence: Grew up in Little Rock.  Now lives in Fayetteville.

Family and Occupation: I have 4 boys. The older three all swam competitively and the youngest is still swimming for Fayetteville High School. My husband, Adam (a huge soccer player), competed in his first swim meet last month. I retired from a consulting career about 12 years ago and am now involved in everything “swimming.”   I coach club, summer leagues, and high school teams. I teach lessons. I swim. Yikes! No one recognizes me with dry hair and makeup!

Swimming background: I swam as a youngster when my parents decided that swimming was the best activity to keep me and my 8 siblings busy and tired! I continued swimming through high school and college (Rice University).

Favorite event/race: 200 breast and 500 free.

Swimming hero: My swimming hero is Mary Oudegeest. She taught me how to swim and is still so active as an 80 year old. She was one of the first females to cross the English Channel (look her up – Mary Kok – from Holland).

Swimming goals: I would like to travel to meets once my children are gone and my husband can join me.

Advice to new masters swimmers: Do it! Swimming with friends is the best part of the sport. It seems that my dearest friends are my swimming buddies.

Hobbies:Volunteering (mainly in a financial role) with many organizations. Being mom, wife, sister, etc to a large extended family. This involves a lot of cooking!

Favorite drills:  Any workout with my friends.

Where do you currently swim?I swim at the Fayetteville Athletic Club and the Jones Center.