June 29, 2009

Easton, Pa. - While things may have slowed down in the Lafayette athletic department during the summer months, many student-athletes remain on College Hill to pursue various academic and athletic endeavors. Lafayette College Athletics has decided to catch up with some of the student-athletes to see what they're doing for the summer and to get to know them a little better. Victoria Pocius, a member of the swimming and diving team, talks about life at the zoo and much more.

What are your plans for your summer at Lafayette? What does your internship at the Lehigh Valley Zoo involve? In addition to working at the zoo, I'm keeping up with dry land workouts for swimming, hanging out with friends on campus and starting to organize sorority recruitment for the fall. I work in the conservation education department of the Lehigh Valley Zoo. It is so much fun. I work with school groups and camp groups doing animal presentations and giving zoo tours. My favorite part is teaching the kids about all of the different animals, and playing with the ferrets once in a while.

What's your major and what do you like about your major? I'm a Biology major. I love seeing the connections with current events, especially in environmental biology.

What is your earliest swimming memory? I was in fourth grade and I had started swimming for a summer YMCA team. I remember thinking I would never make it to the end of the 50 meter pool!

What is your role on the team? I'm the crazy cheerleader. You'll be able to spot me on deck at any meet...I'm the one with the red feather boa. I also swim distance freestyle.

Do you model yourself after any particular player or athlete? I really loved Jenny Thompson when I was younger. I thought it was so awesome that she swam and went to medical school. I think it is extremely important to be working towards a goal both in and out of the pool.

A talent I'd like to have is...being able to dance. Dancers are so graceful and elegant; swimmers out of the water....not so much.

The sport I'm worst at is...most things outside of water.

Something about me that others would be surprised to hear is...I really love old cars, especially the pastel models from the '50s.

What is your favorite roadtrip and why? The service trip to New Orleans with my high school. We were a group of girls gutting houses after Katrina. It was an amazing experience.

What is your favorite activity outside of your sport? Why? I love participating in musical theater. On stage, you're under a completely different kind of pressure than in the pool. It's a huge adrenaline rush to perform for an audience.

What is your favorite word or saying? Life isn't about surviving the storm; it's about learning to dance in the rain.

TV show I can't stop watching...The Big Bang Theory. I love all of the crazy references.

What is the greatest thing you can learn from a loss? You really learn all of your weaknesses, and that working to improve at every practice is important.

What do you still wish to accomplish? I really want to become scuba-certified and go on a coral reef dive. Going to graduate school wouldn't be bad either...

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? The Galapagos Islands and Australia to see all of the unique wildlife and the Great Barrier Reef!

You have an entire day to do whatever you want. Where do you go and what do you do? I would go to King of Prussia mall and shop with friends.

Who is your favorite professor and why? Dr. Waters (biology) is my favorite professor hands down. Her classes are interesting and fun and she add some life lessons into class.

What do you like most about Lafayette? I love the community feeling on campus.

What is your favorite class and why? My favorite class was environmental biology because of the field trip labs once a week. We even got stuck in a snowstorm on our way to one lab.

Who is the most influential person in your life? My family and friends

Have any of your experiences at Lafayette involved traveling to NYC? If so, what for? My Intro to theater class last year took a trip into the city to see Sunday in the Park with George. It was a great performance.

Have you participated in research projects? If so, with what professors? I'm doing monarch butterfly research in the fall with Dr. Waters.

Word Association:
Lafayette: Leopards

Lafayette Athletics: Beat Lehigh!

Swimming: Chlorine

Early morning practices: Cold

Your coaches: Understanding

Your teammates: Friends

Lafayette-Lehigh rivalry: Competition

Preseason: Sore

Strength & Conditioning Coach(es): Patient

Kirby Sports Center: Home #2