Orono, Maine -- Trying your absolute hardest to be the best you can is something Tal Shpaizer is no stranger to. Shpaizer is one of UMaine's notable swim team alumni. She came all the way from Israel to continue her love of swimming while also being able to receive an education in the United States. She has since graduated from the University of Maine in 2007, she went on to receive her Masters degree, and now lives in New York where she works at an Israeli bank. All of this was possible through the effort Shpaizer put into everything she does.
 
Shpaizer excelled as a student athlete on the swim team. Throughout her years at UMaine she managed to graduate with a 3.96 GPA, be a top three finalist for America East Woman of the Year, and was presented with the 'M Club' Dean Smith Award, which highlights a senior athlete who managed to excel both in the classroom and in their sport.
 
The love that Shpaizer holds for swimming is unmatched. Growing up in Israel it was a small country which made it easy to find the people who excelled at sports, such as swimming. So when she was only 12 years old, Shpaizer was noticed and then brought into a boarding school that would help train her in swimming while having some of the best coaching and facilities that were available. This allowed her the opportunity at only 14 years old to join the Iaraeli National Swim Team and compete. This opportunity helped Shpaizer grow even more at a young age which in turn helped her get ready for competing then as a student athlete. Shpaizer explained just how much swimming means to her.
 
"Swimming is my life, it always has been. It's a big part of my life and helped me become who I am today."
 
Once making it to UMaine Shpaizer fell in love with her team, coaches, facilities, and atmosphere almost instantly. "Swimming was very individual in Israel but in college it was all about team spirit and you are competing for the team not only yourself. Competing for a team was great because it was something bigger than yourself. You also have the parents there with signs cheering you on which was fun," Shpaizer explained.
 
"UMaine was an amazing experience. The team spirit was magical, there is nothing like it."
 
Shpaizer still manages to stay in touch with many of her teammates and those families that would be there cheering them all on. Being from Israel, it was not really possible for her to go home for many holidays and school breaks. Luckily these teammates and families would always welcome Shpaizer with open arms and she describes how much she appreciated this warmness.
 
"The team allowed me to make so many friends but their parents were all there and cheering for me too was amazing because my family couldn't be there. After meets we would go out to dinners and other things which just made for many memories."
 
All of this helped Shpaizer with where she is today working at an Israeli bank in New York. This bank is a perfect fit that balances not only what she learned from UMaine but she gets a piece of her home with her such as getting to utilize her Hebrew. This job has helped her meet great people around her that not helped her grow professionally and personally in her life but, it is an environment that turned into family. Shpaizer has also joined a swim team in New York for fun which has been a great chance to socialize and still hold onto a piece of her sport. Shpaizer never had a set plan on going to New York or even staying in the United States after college but loves where she has landed.
 
"I'm a person who likes to go with the flow and see where life takes me. I know if I work hard I will get to where I want to be."
 
Being a student athlete is something that Shpaizer will always treasure because it has helped her with where she is today. The memories she holds are endless and the teammates she had are friends that will last a lifetime. Shpaizer is forever grateful for the positive atmosphere that surrounded her at UMaine and taught her the skills she carries out with her today. Shpaizer knows this opportunity helped change her life and she would recommend it to anyone who gets the chance.
 
"I highly recommend to swimmers in Israel to try and get a scholarship and come to the United States to do it. Anyone who can afford to do it should do it for the experience. It teaches you a lot and is different from Israel."