Amanda Weir buoyed by plans to swim for USC

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Proof that Amanda Weir's heart is in Southern California was on display Saturday afternoon in her family's Lawrenceville home.

Two days after making up her mind to accept a swimming scholarship to Southern Cal, she found herself caught up in Saturday's football thriller between Notre Dame and her newly beloved, No. 1-ranked Trojans.

"Oh my gosh," she said of USC's great escape. "I was freaking out. And I've never watched five minutes of football on TV. I always thought it was so boring."

Weir, a Brookwood graduate who swam for NCAA champion Georgia as a freshman last year, has committed to take her Olympian talents west for 2006-07 after sitting out this college season. She'll have three years of college eligibility left.

"I'm finally feeling the way I should have felt as a senior in high school," she said. "I'm really excited and can't wait to go."

Nevertheless, she's going to wait.

After being released from her Georgia scholarship, Weir had planned to enroll at a West Coast school in time for winter semester and prime swimming season. But she'll set college competition aside while continuing to train for world-caliber events.

"We definitely need to step up and go after those Australians," Weir said of the national team that has eclipsed the United States in her specialty, the freestyle sprints.

She will keep taking online University of Georgia courses while training with SwimAtlanta coach Chris Davis, who'll be on the U.S. staff for the World Championships next April in Shanghai, China.

"My times have been stagnant the last couple of years," said Weir, 19, who won silver medals on two U.S. relays in the 2004 Olympics. "But I've always felt like I could do more. I can improve my starts and turns, take my race out faster and do a lot of little things that are going to help me."

Southern Cal, whose women placed 10th in last season's NCAA meet, is coached by Mark Schubert, the 2004 U.S. Olympic coach.

Weir has called her Georgia experience a "struggle," but didn't give a definitive reason for choosing to transfer. She also visited Cal-Berkeley before settling on USC.

Davis said the change of scenery will do her good.

"She just wants to be a Southern California girl," Davis said. "Her training is awesome. She's strong as a bull, lifting heavy weights for the first time, and has really looked great.

"She'll be happy there, and a happy Amanda Weir is a fast Amanda Weir."