NAC Masters: Getting to Know David Wren
How did you end up at NAC?
I used to swim with a Master's group at my former club team in Richmond, VA (NOVA of Virginia Aquatics), and we moved to the Nashville area in 2020. I had always known NAC was a great team from a couple of teammates of mine at UVA (Parker Camp and Jack Murfee), so I looked up NAC master's not long after moving here.
What is your swimming background?
I am a third generation swimmer, with my grandfather on my dad's side having swum for Michigan State, my dad and two uncles having swum for the University of Richmond and University of Virginia, respectively. My brother and I both got into swimming from an early age, joining our summer league team when I was five and he was seven. We both quickly became enamored by the sport, started having a little success here and there, and began swimming year round for NOVA when we were eight and 10. We ended up both swimming for the University of Virginia together, and for the same coach, Mark Bernardino, that my uncles had swum for in the 1980s. I was the fourth Wren to swim for Dino. I've always been a backstroker, but dabble in sprint butterfly as well. Just don't ask me to swim breaststroke.
Why are you here in Nashville?
My wife is a meteorologist and is originally from Florence, Alabama. In 2019, we lost two of her grandparents, and we decided we wanted to try to get closer to her family in Florence, especially her remaining grandparents. She was able to join News Channel 5 in Nashville as weekday morning meteorologist. I have my own recruiting business and work remotely, so it was easy for me to move things here as well. We moved to the Franklin area in May 2020.
What drives you to get up in the morning?
If it isn't chasing after work goals, it is definitely my soon-to-be four year old son! He often waits for my alarm to go off and then bursts through the door before I can hit snooze.
What is your swimming background?
I am a third generation swimmer, with my grandfather on my dad's side having swum for Michigan State, my dad and two uncles having swum for the University of Richmond and University of Virginia, respectively. My brother and I both got into swimming from an early age, joining our summer league team when I was five and he was seven. We both quickly became enamored by the sport, started having a little success here and there, and began swimming year round for NOVA when we were eight and 10. We ended up both swimming for the University of Virginia together, and for the same coach, Mark Bernardino, that my uncles had swum for in the 1980s. I was the fourth Wren to swim for Dino. I've always been a backstroker, but dabble in sprint butterfly as well. Just don't ask me to swim breaststroke.
Why are you here in Nashville?
My wife is a meteorologist and is originally from Florence, Alabama. In 2019, we lost two of her grandparents, and we decided we wanted to try to get closer to her family in Florence, especially her remaining grandparents. She was able to join News Channel 5 in Nashville as weekday morning meteorologist. I have my own recruiting business and work remotely, so it was easy for me to move things here as well. We moved to the Franklin area in May 2020.
What drives you to get up in the morning?
If it isn't chasing after work goals, it is definitely my soon-to-be four year old son! He often waits for my alarm to go off and then bursts through the door before I can hit snooze.
What’s been the biggest surprise about NAC? Swimming again? Did you ever stop after college?
The biggest surprise I would say is the thriving group of committed swimmers! The master's groups I've been a part of in the past have ebbed and flowed (including my training in them, as well!). It's neat to see folks of all ages who really make training and competition a part of their daily lives.
I did stop for a while after college, sitting out a few years. I got back into it when I was about 26-27 for a year, then again at 28-29, but with having two children under 4, and being unable to make morning workouts because my wife is at work during those hours, consistency has been a challenge. But, I love the fact that NAC offers noon workouts, so I always try to attend those each week.
Any funny anecdotes?
To be 100% truthful, the main impetus for getting back into swimming with NAC was my fantasy football league. It's all guys I swam with at UVA, and the loser each year has to do a 200 fly for time, on video. Last year, as the season was coming to an end, it was looking more and more likely that loser might be me. So, I decided I need to do a little swimming to get ready for it. I ended up coming in second to last, and avoided the 200 fly, but I quickly found how much I enjoyed swimming with NAC, so I have stuck around! This year though, a 200 fly is starting to look inevitable...
Tell us about your family? Work? Life?
My wife, Nikki-Dee, and I have been married since April 2017, and we have a soon to be 4 year old son, T. Copeland, and 2.5 year old daughter, Windley-Ray. We also have 3 rescue dogs, Gus (3.5 year old labradoodle), George (2.5 year old maltipoo), and Lemon (2 year old maltipoo). My wife is the morning meteorologist for News Channel 5 and I run a recruiting business, Wren Consulting, that specializes in sales recruitment and executive search. This year, we published a children's book together, Laura-Leigh Learns About Storms, a book that teaches children both practical lessons in weather safety and lessons in faith. We're members of Zeal Church and I also write a weekly devotional called Elevated Discourse. Our kids, dogs, and work keep us busy, but we love to cook at home, try new wines (for Nikki-Dee) and beers/bourbons (for me), and this year, I have gotten into making my own soap and beard oils. My wife laughed at me at first, but now is a fan!
What’s your inspiration?
Any funny anecdotes?
To be 100% truthful, the main impetus for getting back into swimming with NAC was my fantasy football league. It's all guys I swam with at UVA, and the loser each year has to do a 200 fly for time, on video. Last year, as the season was coming to an end, it was looking more and more likely that loser might be me. So, I decided I need to do a little swimming to get ready for it. I ended up coming in second to last, and avoided the 200 fly, but I quickly found how much I enjoyed swimming with NAC, so I have stuck around! This year though, a 200 fly is starting to look inevitable...
Tell us about your family? Work? Life?
My wife, Nikki-Dee, and I have been married since April 2017, and we have a soon to be 4 year old son, T. Copeland, and 2.5 year old daughter, Windley-Ray. We also have 3 rescue dogs, Gus (3.5 year old labradoodle), George (2.5 year old maltipoo), and Lemon (2 year old maltipoo). My wife is the morning meteorologist for News Channel 5 and I run a recruiting business, Wren Consulting, that specializes in sales recruitment and executive search. This year, we published a children's book together, Laura-Leigh Learns About Storms, a book that teaches children both practical lessons in weather safety and lessons in faith. We're members of Zeal Church and I also write a weekly devotional called Elevated Discourse. Our kids, dogs, and work keep us busy, but we love to cook at home, try new wines (for Nikki-Dee) and beers/bourbons (for me), and this year, I have gotten into making my own soap and beard oils. My wife laughed at me at first, but now is a fan!
What’s your inspiration?
My faith in Jesus is my biggest inspiration in life, but I have always been very intrinsically motivated and goal-oriented. When I was younger, it was all about "loving to win, but hating to lose." Now, it's more about doing things that feel like an accomplishment. Whether it's family, work, or athletically, I like to set goals, and then work to accomplish them rather than solely basing my "wins" on my competition.
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