For Sydney Panzarino, sophomore marine biology major, swimming has always been an important part of her life.
“I started swimming at a really young age,” she said. “I have other swimmers in my family, so it had always been with me since early on. My dad and sister were swimmers, so they helped bring me into it.”
Panzarino, a Bradenton, Florida native, swam from 2010 to 2014 at Lakewood Ranch High School, and even served as team captain. Panzarino is competing in her second season with NSU.
At the All Florida Invitational meet in September, Panzarino had a number of impressive finishes in short distance events. Panzarino placed 13th overall in the 50-yard freestyle, with a time of 24.70, and 13th again in the 100-yard butterfly, with a time of 1:00.10.
I got the chance to sit down with Panzarino to get to know her better.
What events do you normally swim?
“Mostly sprint events, like the 50 free, 100 free, 100 back and 100 fly. Usually anything short distance.”
Do you have a favorite swimmer who you look up to?
“Matt Grevers because he always seems so dedicated to the sport and seems so excited whenever he competes. I really love watching him race.”
What do you use to motivate yourself in practice?
“I use my teammates to help motivate me. They’re my swimmers who I look up to on a day-to-day basis.”
Who’s the most influential person in your life?
“I look up to my dad. He still swims even now, and he is constantly trying to set new goals for himself. I just really think that’s inspiring. For someone to go through all those years of swimming and still love it shows me that you can still enjoy it, and even when there are rough practices, you can still set new goals to challenge yourself.”
Do you plan on continuing swimming after college?
“Not right away. I’d like to give myself a little break, but, eventually, I’d want to get back into it.”
You did very well at the first meet of this season; how do you usually celebrate a win or a successful meet?
“I’m not usually the best at celebrating my own wins, but when I do, I just try to use it to motivate me to keep going. It’s only the beginning ― if you’re here now, you need to look at where you will be if you keep going down this road.”
Is there anything specific that has brought you success so far in your swimming career?
“The coaching has definitely always helped me. If you try to train on your own, it’s definitely not the same. You don’t get the same feedback or same motivation, and so having the coaches there really motivates and helps me strive to go further.”
What do you like to do besides swimming?
“I love to go the movies. I watch a lot of movies; it’s something more relaxing and less intense. I also like to go the beach with my teammates when we’re not in practice.”
How do you balance being a student athlete and managing a social life?
“It’s definitely hard. It makes me ensure that I have my priorities straight. Being in college, I am here to get a degree and an education, and I think it’s really important to find a balance. Mostly, I try to make sure I give myself enough time each day to study and stick to a routine.”
