It's a guy thing: Male baby sitters find favor with some families. - The Columbus Dispatch (Columbus, OH)

Byline: Jenna Sauber

Jul. 12--The four boys sprawl on the livingroom floor, engrossed in a card game. One listens to an iPod, while another absent-mindedly pets the family dog. A movie blares from the big-screen television in the background.

It's a typical summer day for them with an atypical twist: One of the boys is the baby sitter.

Although most high-school and collegeage males still opt to mow lawns, paint houses or flip burgers for summer cash, others turn to the job of watching kids.

Since last summer, 17-year-old Alex Bates of Hilliard has regularly watched the St. Clair boys: Matthew, 11; Andrew, 10; and David, 7.

'I started watching my little brother when he was 7, and I was about 13,' Bates said.

After seeing his older brother take care of some neighborhood kids, Alex became interested in babysitting. The job has an added bonus of helping him prepare for what he hopes will be a career in pediatric medicine.

'We do things like play video games, watch movies and play outside,' Bates said. 'I don't want it to feel like I'm a baby sitter, but more like I'm just an older person to hang out with, like a cool friend.'

The boys like having Alex around and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. They say they can relate to him more than they would a female sitter.

'Guys know more things than girls -- like games and sports,' David said.

Matthew observed: 'He's not like teenage girls that talk a lot.'

The term baby sitter suggests diaper-changing, spoon-feeding and bedtime storytelling.

In many cases, though, the male sitters are looking after boys only a few years younger than themselves.

'Some families love to have male (sitters),' said Candi Wingate, president of Nannies4 hire.com, a nationwide Web site for nannies and families looking to hire one. 'If they have all boys, they want someone who will do the sports and the wrestling and the boy things. Men can be just as nurturing as women.'

Often, parents choose male sitters for their sons as a way to keep them entertained and active, as well as to provide a role model.

Powell resident Cheryl Driesen knows her 12-year-old son, Jimmy, is too old for a sitter, but he still needs someone to keep him company in the evening. Jimmy was the one, she said, who began referring to the 18-year-old who comes over a few times a week as a 'buddy sitter.'

'Jimmy loves hanging out with him; he wants us to adopt him as a big brother,' Driesen said. 'When boys get to a certain age, they don't necessarily want girl buddy sitters, and this young man has a good and positive influence on my son.'

While there's some evidence that male sitters are increasing, they remain a minority.

'Our volunteer instructors tell us that, while they have seen a definite increase in the number of boys taking Red Cross babysitter training over the past couple of years, boys are still greatly outnumbered in our classes,' said Lynn Cook, director of communication and marketing for the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus.

For every family that prefers a male sitter, many more seek females to watch their children.

'Families want females,' said Julie O'Donnell, owner of Sitters Unlimited, a Columbus babysitting service. 'The only time I was able to place a male sitter was if the family had all boys. Unfortunately, the males I had hired were not getting enough jobs.'

Some males see the job as a quick way to make money -- and get a head start on potential careers.

Last fall, Ohio State University student Drew Sprouse was looking for an after-school job when he saw an ad in the paper for a baby sitter for two boys.

Sprouse, 21, saw the opportunity as a great way to gain experience for his major: early-childhood education.

'I would have never guessed that I would get into something like this,' Sprouse said. 'But I've really enjoyed it, and it's one of the best summer jobs you could ask for.'

Sprouse has watched Nicky and Joey Roslovic of Upper Arlington for about 10 months.

He is the authority figure, he said, but it's not a typical sitting job. His duties include driving the boys, 13 and 10, to different camps and taking them to the pool or COSI Columbus for the day.

'I'm pretty much here to keep them busy,' he said. 'They kind of look up to me as this college kid they hang out with, more so than their baby sitter.'

jsauber@dispatch.com

Copyright (c) 2006, The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business

News.

Stricter rules regulate fishing on Klamath, Trinity rivers. - The Record (Stockton, CA)

Byline: Peter Ottesen

Jul. 4--Sport fishing regulations governing salmon and steelhead on the Klamath and Trinity River Basin went into effect June 21 following recommendations by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council and approval by the California Fish and Game Commission.

Anadromous waters of the basin are closed to fishing all year, except those seasons recently approved. The 2007 basin sport fishing quota is 10,600 king salmon over 22 inches in length. Only hatchery-reared trout and steelhead may be retained.

Here's a rundown of important dates:

--Through Aug. 31: The Klamath River from 3,500 feet downstream of Irongate Dam to the Highway 96 bridge at Weitchpec is open for king salmon greater than 22 inches. This stretch is open year-round to kings less than 22 inches.

--Through Sept. 15: The Trinity River from 250 feet downstream of Lewiston Dam to Old Lewiston Bridge is open with a zero limit for trout and salmon, but only with artificial, barbless flies.

--Through Aug. 31: The Trinity River main stem from the Highway 299 bridge at Cedar Flat downstream to Hawkins Bar Bridge is open for salmon and steelhead fishing. However, this stretch is closed to all angling from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30.

A complete listing of daily bag limits, seasons and other restrictions are available at: www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations or (800) 564-6479.

Out with a bang

Fishing at Nevada's Pyramid Lake closed Saturday for the season but not before the biggest cutthroat trout of the year -- 15 pounds, 13 ounces -- was caught by a troller in front of the docks at Pelican Point on a silver spoon with orange-green flash tape. Pyramid Lake, situated 10 miles north of Reno, reopens Oct. 1 for trout fishing.

Junior deer hunt

The Department of Fish and Game will host a free junior deer hunt Sept. 15-16 at Carrizo Plain Ecological Reserve in San Luis Obispo County.

The hunt is open to boys and girls who hold a junior hunting license.

The hunting opportunity includes classroom instruction on wildlife and hunting, range and field assistance on gun handling, safety and shooting practice, and information on specific techniques for deer hunting and game care.

To apply for the drawing, send a postcard with the hunter's name, address, telephone number and 2007-08 junior hunting license number to: DFG, 20 Lower Ragsdale Road, Monterey, CA 93940. Applications must be received before 5 p.m., Aug. 16.

First albacore

Albacore tuna made their first appearance off the Central California coast last week, showing their long fins about 50 miles outside Avila Beach and Morro Bay. Tuna also surface for boaters outside Shelter Cove in the extreme north state. For the latest tuna reports, go to www.coastsidefishingclub.org.

To see more of The Record, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.recordnet.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, The Record, Stockton, Calif.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

JANIS ESTABLISH JANI ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL HOME ENDOWMENT - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

MACOMB, Ill., Aug. 16 -- Western Illinois University issued the following news release:

In appreciation of the campus and community, Western Illinois University Professor Emeritus Dr. Subhash Jani and his family have established an endowment with the WIU Foundation to support the Jani Annual International Home (JAIHO) Students Sports Event. Jani, his wife, Linda, daughters Jayshree and Shanti, son-in-law Xevi and granddaughter Aasha, together signed the endowment agreement Aug. 10 with Western President Jack Thomas.

The annual event is intended to provide a sports venue to promote international awareness and understanding between Western Illinois University and Macomb High School students, and to engage the community at large. Participants will come from the local and international communities of both WIU and MHS, including those with special needs or disabilities. Western's Center for International Studies (CIS) will oversee the event, which will alternate between a U.

S. and international sport or game, either indoors or outdoors, for the annual focus: kite flying, baseball, cricket, golf, carrom, hoover ball, basketball, etc.

JAIHO is Hindi for 'May Victory Prevail,' and the title of the Academy Award winning theme song from the 2008 film 'Slumdog Millionaire.' The Jani family felt it was an appropriate term for the sentiment of the event.

'The International Home Students Sports Event is the Jani family's token of appreciation for the many gestures of friendship and memories that the town and gown members have provided us, especially during the time our children were in the Macomb schools,' said Subhash.

'The community has been very good to us,' Linda added. 'Our children gained so much from their sports experiences, so we hope that this activity will foster lasting friendships and leave participants with the memory of the richness of our global cultures.'

Subhash and Linda, together with their grown children, Shanti, Krishna, Jayshree and Raam, wanted to develop a program with enduring value that would incorporate their backgrounds, pay tribute to what made their family better citizens, promote town/gown cohesion, while 'making our town a better place.' The entire family favored the idea of fostering 'collaborative competitiveness,' something they all experienced and benefitted from.

'I was born in India, lived in Tanzania and educated in England before coming to the United States,' said Subhash. 'I came to the USA with a total of $600 in graduate assistantship funds for nine months, and the sacrifice and empowerment of my parents. I was a beneficiary of the caste system and experienced the negativity of segregation. Sports are a great unifier to the paths of justice.'

'A sporting event blends our areas of interest,' Linda continued. 'Our children gained so much from participating in team sports growing up, where there was certainly competitiveness, but team spirit was such a big part of the experience. We like the focus on inclusion.'

Subhash and Linda met at an international dinner while they both were at Purdue University. Linda had served in Vietnam with Catholic Relief Services, and both were interested in international and cross-cultural opportunities for others. They came to Macomb in 1971. Subhash was a member of the Department of Special Education faculty, served as secretary of the Faculty Senate and as UPI chapter president before retiring in 2000. He is also a freelance optometrist. Linda is a member of the McDonough County Board, and has been active in the schools and community; she is retired from teaching at Spoon River College.

'The JAIHO Sports Event is a great addition to the programming that the Center for International Studies offers. We are excited that this event will connect our students to young people in the community,' said Rick Carter, director of the School of Distance Learning, International Studies and Outreach.

cities honor hospitality professionals.(Business) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

Byline: JENNIFER JIGGETTS

By Jennifer Jiggetts

The Virginian-Pilot

During National Tourism Week, which concludes Sunday, Hampton Roads cities honored several dozen individuals who work in the hospitality industry. Here's a list of winners as reported by tourism officials in those cities:

Chesapeake: Tourism Professional of the Year, Gary LeBlanc, Hilton Garden Inn; First Impression Award Sales, Angela Morrissey, Homewood Suites by Hilton; First Impression Award Hotel, Mia Freeman, Courtyard Marriott Chesapeake; First Impression Award Attraction, Cathy L. Floyd, Northwest River Park; Silver Spoon Award - Restaurant, Christy Snyder, Jason's Deli; Silver Spoon Award - Hotel/Meeting Center, Erica Hicks, Hilton Garden Inn; White Glove Award, Hope Minter, Chesapeake Conference Center.

Norfolk: Admission/Box office, Abby Dotson, Nauticus; Banquets, Linda Pearson, Norfolk Waterside Marriott; Bartender, Janet Fittro, Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel; Bellman, Ronald Morgan, Hilton Norfolk Airport Hotel; Concierge/Docent/Tour Guide, Otha Dunn, the Chrysler Museum of Art; Custodian/Maintenance, Gerald Martin, City of Norfolk (Seven Venues); Front Desk (Hospitality), Debra Berry, Radisson Hotel Norfolk; Front Desk (Commercial), Anise Conner, Decker, Cardon, Thomas, Weintraub, & Neskis; Friend of the NCVB-Front Desk, Joyce Gibbs, the Doubletree Hotel Norfolk Airport; Housekeeper, Ronnie Bailey, Sheraton Norfolk Waterside; Kitchen, Marlon 'Hollywood' Manyweather, D'egg Diner; Parking Attendant, Keisha Williams, City of Norfolk Parking Division; Public Safety Ambassador, Deborah Moyler, the Downtown Norfolk Council; Retail, Kelly Bracilano, the Market at Harbor Heights; Transportation, John Reid (Bus Operator), HRT; Valet, Vincent Navarre, Central Parking System at MacArthur Center; Volunteer Groups, Norfolk International Airport Volunteer Ambassadors; Waiter/Waitress, Catherine 'Cat' Kaisler, 456 Fish; Zoo Ambassadors Honorable Mention, Neka and Granby (Lion Cubs), the Virginia Zoo.

Portsmouth: Best Hotel Housekeeper of the Year, Nancy Williams, Holiday Inn Olde Towne; Best Hotel Restaurant Worker of the Year, Rosemary Jones, Holiday Inn Olde Towne; Best Hotel Front Desk Worker of the Year, Shannon Gibson, Renaissance hotel; Best Overall Hotel Worker of the Year, Jenise Hylton, Renaissance; Best Retail Worker of the Year, Danielle Heath, Plumeria; Best Attraction Worker of the Year, Gerry Ahles, Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum; Best Restaurant Worker of the Year (outside of a hotel), Rachael Brooks, Lobscouser; Best Visitor Center Worker of the Year, Nancy Lassiter, Portsmouth Visitor Information Center.

Virginia Beach: Special Recognition: Susan Long, Norfolk Airport; Public Service, Juanita Demastus, Virginia Beach Convention Center; Volunteer, Pat Gorski, Convention & Visitors Bureau; Volunteer, Ray Gorski, Convention & Visitors Bureau; Attractions, Derek Leonidoff, Beachstreet USA; Transportation, Deborah Willoughby, Fun Tours; Retail, Ruby Weber, Please & Thank You; Bartender, Nancy Morgan, Catch 31 at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront; Busser, Demarris Bowden, Max & Erma's at the Doubletree Hotel; Chef, Greg Hopkins, Croc's 19th Street Bistro; Dishwasher, Phillip Cochlin, Lynnhaven Fish House; Host/Hostess, Edna Wills, Swan Terrace - Founder's Inn; Host/Hostess, Anita Ortiz, Laverne's Beef & Seafood Restaurant; Manager, Milene Gengler, Bad Ass Coffee; Prep Person, Darrell Walton, Beach Bully Restaurant; Wait Staff, Crystal Ososkie, Lynnhaven Fish House; Cook, Nikoles Aristy, Croc's 19th Street Bistro; Valet, John Kane, Rudee's Restaurant; Activities/Spa/Fitness, Julie Davidson, Virginia Beach Resort Hotel & Conference Center; Banquet/Catering, Ramona Vazquez, Quality Inn & Suites Oceanfront; Clerical/Front Office, Cherie Gohr, Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront; Front Desk, Michael Willis, Days Inn at the Beach; Housekeeping, Sharon Goffigan, Howard Johnson; Kitchen, Bonifacio Herrera, Founders Inn & Spa; Maintenance, Bill Loyd, Quality Inn & Suites Oceanfront; Sales Manager, Cheryl Wolfe, Virginia Beach Resort Hotel & Conference Center; Valet, Omari Alexander, Cavalier Hotel.

Grace: Beautifully told, painful quest for mental peace. - West Central Tribune (Willmar, MN)

Byline: Tom Cherveny

Nov. 20--To spend each day in what he describes as a mental 'murk' is as ugly as it sounds. That so much beauty can emerge from it is just one of the lessons to discover in Dana Yost's first book of poetry, 'Grace.'' The beauty is in his telling. Yost gives us a collection of jabbing, succinct poems that tell of his experiences with depression and anxiety. We feel the hurt. He also expresses his grief over the deaths of the four children in the Lakeview School bus crash, and his sense of loss over the death of his father. Yost, 47, of Cottonwood, crafted the poems while on a medical leave from his role as editor of the Marshall Independent last April. 'It was therapeutic,'' he said of writing the poems. His illness has forced him to end a 29-year career in journalism. He started his career writing sports, but his passion for news eventually led him to the news side and editorial desks. He served in an editor's role with the West Central Tribune from 1994-1999. It was during those years that Yost said his anxiety attacks became severe enough to lead him to medical care. With increasing frequency, he'd get to within 15 miles of home and have to pull over and call his wife, Rae, to get him. Yost believed there was a physical cause triggering the heart-pounding episodes of panic and hyper ventilation. The first doctor he visited knew better. He began seeing a therapist, and it helped. He points to the fact that it allowed him to continue the work he loved at a high level. He continued to win a bevy of awards for editorial and column writing, and page design. But the fast-pace, high-stress environment of journalism only continued to feed the demons of depression and anxiety that wrestled within him. Worse still, one of Yost's strongest attributes as a journalist has been his ability to empathize with those he writes about. Yet Yost and his staff at the Independent found themselves covering an astonishing run of tragedies and misfortunes, everything from a rash of young people dying in car accidents to a major fire that broke out at Southwest Minnesota State University on the day his father died. All the while, all of the other stresses that are part of the news business today found him at the editor's desk. He went to court to challenge city officials and a judge for access to public information in separate issues. He managed the newspaper's role in a variety of bitter and contentious disputes -- political, economic and otherwise -- in a rapidly changing community. And through it all, economic pressures afflicting the industry meant the resources to gather and tell the news kept shrinking. But it was the Lakeview School bus crash involving families from the community he calls home that slammed him like a left-handed swing to the jaw. Yost was hospitalized for seven days with depression. He returned to work, and made his next trip to the hospital in a squad car. He was under a suicide watch, and his belt, shoelaces and even the strings in his sweatpants were taken away. As Yost tells it, there was no way out and no going back, either. 'You're done,'' his doctor told him in response to his desire to return to journalism. Yost said he began writing poems as therapy, thinking he might send one or two to a magazine for publication. He shot a couple of the poems to friend David Pichaske, an English professor at Southwest Minnesota State University and publisher of Spoon River Poetry Press of Granite Falls. Pichaske realized there was a book in the making, and encouraged him. Yost said his hope is that the 51-page book of poems will provide comfort to those who know the misery of depression and anxiety. He also hopes they will help others to understand the illness better. Putting his story on the public stage was extremely difficult for someone whose professional role involved telling other people's stories. But Yost said he has gained a sense of relief in the telling of his suffering.

He continues to write. He said he is feeling better and making progress. 'Grace'' is his quest for the peace that his illness and the tragedies of life have made so difficult for him to find. It is a beautifully told reminder of why that peace is so worth the seeking or keeping. Any profits from the sale of the $10 book will be donated to the victims of the Lakeview school accident. It is available in local bookstores, via the Web site at www.ellispress.com or by direct order from Spoon River Poetry Press, P.O. Box 6, Granite Falls, MN 56241.

To see more of the West Central Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.wctrib.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Fans' memories of Yankee Stadium will never fade. - amNewYork (New York, NY)

Byline: Ryan Chatelain

Sep. 19--The final out Sunday night at Yankee Stadium will mark the end of an epic 85-year chapter for baseball's most storied franchise.

The Bronx Bombers will move into a new home bearing the same name next season. Although the House that Ruth Built will be torn down in early 2009, its legacy will never die.

Yankees fans recently shared their most memorable Yankee Stadium moments with amNewYork.

First act

Bobby Cannavale begged his father for years to take him to his first baseball game. His dad, who had little appreciation for sports, finally caved in on July 4, 1983, bringing Bobby, then 12, to Yankee Stadium. That day, Dave Righetti became the first Bronx Bomber to pitch a no-hitter since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series.

'It was f--- incredible, and my dad wanted to leave [EARLY] because he was bored,' said Cannavale, 37, a Union City, N.J., native who starred on 'Third Watch' and was a regular on 'Will & Grace.'

'He said nothing was happening,' Cannavale said. 'It was because they weren't giving up a hit!'

Left all wet

Curtis Jackson used to make a point to sit near the 'Black,' the center-field 'no-fan's land.' After Reggie Jackson hit his first two home runs in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series, Curtis Jackson hedged closer to the Black in anticipation of another Reggie blast.

'I was next to this guy, and he had a whole lot of beer,' said Curtis Jackson, 55, of the Bronx. 'When the third [HOMER] was coming ... the guy stood up, and he threw the beer at my face on purpose because he saw that I was going to try to run after the ball.'

Shake, rattle and Reggie

Laurie Viviano also witnessed Reggie Jackson's three-homer assault on the Dodgers, but she can't help but remember another Reggie moment a month earlier.

On Sept. 14, 1977, with the Yankees locked in a three-way tie for the American League East lead with the Red Sox and Orioles, Jackson clobbered a walk-off homer against Boston. The Bombers won 2-0, and the crowd erupted in celebration.

'I thought the stadium was going to come down,' said Viviano, 53, of West Hempstead, Long Island. 'It was totally shaking.'

The kid who won the World Series

During Game 6 of the 1996 World Series, the Yankees and Braves were in a scoreless tie, and, according to 'Freddy Sez' Schuman, the Bombers faithful didn't bring their A-game.

'They wouldn't do anything,' said Schuman, 83, who has strolled around Yankee Stadium for the past 20 years carrying a sign and frying pan, which he lets fans bang on with a wooden spoon in an attempt to rally the home team. 'They wouldn't hit the frying pan.

'There was a little kid ... around 7, 8 or 9 years of age. The kid got a hold of the spoon, and I had never seen such enthusiasm. And with a load of gusto, he started to whack the hell out of the frying pan. And I said to the crowd, 'This kid is going to win the World Series for us.''

That same inning, the Yankees scored three runs. They held on for a 3-2 victory and wrapped up their first world title in 18 years.

'Too much popcorn'

Chris Allen was 9 years old when the Yankees and Mets met in the 2000 Subway Series. Little did he know, the game he was attending would end up setting the record as the longest World Series contest.

Only one problem. 'I ate too much popcorn and had to leave early,' said Allen, 17, of East Brunswick, N.J.

Stomach pains knocked Allen out for the rest of the evening. The Yankees won 4-3 in a game that lasted 12 innings and nearly five hours.

'I watched the game curled up in a ball in the back of a limo,' Allen said.

Turning to baseball

Ben Kabak's greatest memory of Yankee Stadium was more about emotion than any specific on-field moment. He attended Game 3 of the 2001 World Series, about a month-an-a-half after 9/11, and felt a different 'aura' from fans.

'It was almost in a way comforting to see everyone at the stadium and feel everyone rooting for the Yanks and the city to pull through at the same time,' said Kabak, 25, a blogger for River Avenue Blues.

'You could feel the fans rallying to baseball as a way to cope with what had happened and what they didn't understand.'

To see more of amNewYork, go to http://www.amny.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, amNewYork, New York

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

' I'm not pretty or stick thin.. I'm not trying to be a model. Judge me on my ' swimming, not my looks' REBECCA HITS BACK AT BOYLE FACE GAG.(News) - Sunday Mirror (London, England)

Byline: NATALIE EDWARDS

OLYMPIC heroine Rebecca Adlington today launches an emotional attack on critics who mock her image, telling them: 'Judge me on my swimming, not by my looks.'

The Team GB swimmer, who won two bronze medals at London 2012, spoke out after the Sunday Mirror exposed TV comic Frankie Boyle's cruel Twitter jibe in reference to her appearance.

As she prepared to defend her 400m and 800m titles, Boyle tweeted: 'I worry that Rebecca Adlington will have an unfair advantage in the swimming by possessing a dolphin's face.'

Three years earlier he said on TV's Mock the Week that she looked like 'someone looking at themselves in the back of a spoon'.

Hitting back at the Glaswegian's nasty quips, Rebecca said: 'I'm not trying to be a model.

'I'm fully aware that I'm not a pretty girl and I'm not stick thin. I know that I'm not attractive.

'I just want people to judge me on my swimming and not how I look.'

Rebecca doesn't find Boyle's near-the-knuckle gags funny, saying: 'I'm not a fan of his humour. I prefer the likes of Michael McIntyre, Alan Carr and Jason Manford.'

Despite her amazing achievements, Becky was hugely disappointed that at London 2012 she didn't repeat her success at Beijing 2008 when she won two gold medals. She admits the setback has left her reassessing her career.

Aged just 23, she thinks it unlikely she will compete at Rio 2016.

She said: 'Retirement always has to be a consideration every four years. Four years is a very, very long time to commit yourself to do all the hard work. I think the next Olympics might probably be a little out of reach.

'Our sport is very different and not like other sports where they go on into their thirties. Swimming is a young person's sport.

'Chris Hoy is in his mid-thirties and he keeps winning cycling medals - gold medals - but our sport is very different.

'We have been doing full-on training since we were 11 or 12 years old. You have to put in so much work which means your body can't take it as it gets older. It just shuts down as it needs the rest.'

MOTIVATION Team GB finished third in the Olympics medal table, behind the USA and China. But Rebecca pointed out that it's hard for a country as small as Britain to compete.

She said: 'China and USA are always the countries who have the new young guys. We can't expect to be up there with them when they have got so much better facilities.

'They have got everything - everything is bigger and better.

'The thing is, our sport is very hard work and we are in 10 training sessions a week. It's not like I can have six months off and then get back in. You have to have the want and will to do it and I have had that in the past. My motivation has never been an issue for me but I have to think now whether anything is ever going to be as good as London.

'I've experienced the best of the best and I have to think whether anything is going to be as good. I'm just going to see how I feel after a couple of months off.'

If Becky, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, does decide to hang up her swimsuit she is considering making a move into broadcasting. 'I'd love to get into TV and do the commentary,' she said. 'I'd love to do the Sue Barker thing.

'At the same time I would like to try and stay within the sport. I'd love to inspire a younger age of swimmers.'

Speaking at a reception to launch the London Lifestyle Awards 2012 this week, Rebecca added: 'It's been an amazing few weeks. It's a bit sad that London 2012 is now over but we still have the Paralympics, which is always so inspiring.

'O b v i o us l y I was disappointed with my own performance. But at the same time I do have two bronze medals so I can't be too disappointed. It was an amazing atmosphere.

'I'm here in London until tomorrow but I can't wait to go home. I saw my parents for an hour when I finished but I haven't seen them since. My family are always so happy for me and so proud.'

She also opened up about her boyfriend of 14 months, Harry Needs. They train at the same swimming club in the Midlands.

She said: 'My boyfriend is a swimmer as well. There is never any competition between us because he's a sprinter and I'm a distance swimmer.

'He's only 20, bless him. If I ever mentioned marriage to him he'd be like, 'I'm only a baby'.'

CAPTION(S):