280 athletics finishing strong Many students felt confined by Searcy’s small-town atmosphere, especially with such slim-pickings for weekend entertainment. For May graduate Karina Swindle, formerly Gomes, however, experiencing feelings of culture shock was justified. Swindle came to Harding in 2004 from Sao Paulo, Brazil, a city with over 10 million people, making it larger than New York City. Why did this student make the leap to a town of 19,000 people? Swindle wanted to play on the tennis team. But the population of Searcy and Sao Paulo was not the only difference for Swindle. “In Searcy, you are a lot more exposed to Christianity and churches,” Swindle said. “Sao Paulo, on the other hand, is too busy to care about the Bible or God.” As Swindle settled into Harding, she said she began to ask questions about Christianity. “I was never really introduced to any religion before coming to Harding,” Swindle said. “The only thing I can remember growing up is that my dad would make me and my brother watch biblical movies. My family never prayed before meals, [but] they always taught us to pray by ourselves in our room before going to bed.” After being at Harding and taking two years of Bible classes, Swindle wanted to be baptized. “Dr. [Joe] Brumfield, who is my favorite Bible teacher at Harding, baptized me on my birthday three years ago,” Swindle remembered. Soon after her baptism, Swindle began teaching about Christianity to her family. Her mother and brother were later converted. “[It was] one of the happiest days of my life,” Swindle said. “I love the fact that I can already picture my whole family in Heaven one day.” In addition to sharing her faith with her family, she was also a spiritual encouragement to her tennis family. “Karina has always been a great Christian example to our team, and that is so important and needed for us,” senior Alicia Williams said. “Karina, as any other Christian, is not foreign to obstacles in life, but her faith in Christ has led her to many victories through trials, not only trials in life, but trials that led to victories on the tennis court, as well. [She] is a true champion in all aspects of the word, and she has made a difference on our team that will not be forgotten!” Swindle not only motivated her team, but also found motivation from within. “There was a lot more pressure playing tennis back home because I didn’t play on a team, so it was more about me as an individual,” Swindle said. “Contributing to the Harding team made the game more fun and motivated me to give 100 percent because it was about something bigger than me.” Swindle went to regionals and nationals four years in a row and acquired many Gulf South Conference honors. She was also the first Harding tennis player to win Freshman Player of the Year. “A huge highlight for me was when we beat one of our biggest rivals, UCA, because we had lost to them so many times before,” Swindle said of one of her most memorable career moments. Swindle graduated from Harding in the spring of 2008 and went on to work as a graduate assistant to the tennis team. She began to complete her masters in education with an emphasis in kinesiology, hoping that a master’s would make it easier for her to find a job as a tennis coach. Through her time at Harding, Swindle felt that she changed in many ways. “I am now a lot more mature and have lived so many good experiences during my Harding career,” Swindle said. “I am also a lot closer to where I want to be spiritually, which makes everything else better in life.” Rebecca Harrell and Rachel Klemmer Senior hard-hitter Karina Swindle returns a ball played by a Delta State opponent in a match on April 14, 2008. Swindle helped the Lady Bisons earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament with her consistent play throughout the year and finished third in career singles wins. Jeff Montgomery Senior player finds faith and friends
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