University of Massachusets Athletics
Inside the Goggles with Sophie Hornby
October 16, 2014 | Women's Swimming & Diving
The first of a weekly series where UMass Athletics catches up with members of the Swimming and Diving teams for a Question & Answer session! First up is senior Sophie Hornby.
How would you describe this team in terms of personality and work ethic?
"I think this year we have an incredible group of girls. Our freshman class is full of energy and they have really strong personalities. We had a pretty small senior class graduate last year and had that exact amount of freshman coming in this year so it's been a very easy transition. We all get along incredibly well and you forget how young and how old people are on the team. Everyone is just very friendly."
Who are some of your teammates that best fit that description?
"One of my fellow seniors, Molly (Smyth). She's an incredible leader. Some of the time she'll be quiet, but she leads by example 100% of the time. I would say the rest of the senior class comes in with an incredible work ethic and they're very friendly and positive. Samantha Taylor is another senior who comes in and cheers for everyone no matter what and that makes it a really easy environment to work hard in."
What's the best part of being a part of a team like this?
"Coming into school, everyone who comes to college is a bit nervous at first but we automatically have a friend group in place already and it's so easy to make friends with people that work as hard as you do in a specific sport so that makes the transition really easy."
In what ways have you grown during your time at UMass?
"All of us, looking at our senior class, have become more confident athletes, but also people in general when we start to look at jobs and do interviews. I think being on a team has really fostered a confident attitude."
Who on the team has shown the most improvement in or out of the pool?
"I would say Samantha Taylor. She's a senior and a really good friend of mine. She came from high school swimming, only training once a week, and has come straight into a division one program and has just improved amazingly. She has also grown as a person is on her way to becoming a great speech pathologist."
How would you describe your coach?
"Bob is a great guy. He is basically a second dad to all of us and he has heard it all, so when we come to him with problems, he is almost never shocked. He is incredibly supportive in the pool and out of it. He knows that we're here to be students before anything else."
How would your coach describe you?
"I think he would say that I have a strong personality and that I'm never afraid to say what I'm feeling, which gives him good feedback and also helps him stay with all of the team."
What are some of your earliest memories of swimming and diving growing up and what other sports did you play?
"Some of my earliest memories are more comical than most. I never played any other sports because I'm a terrible runner. I think I did swim lessons as a tiny child and it worked out really well, so I continued with it."
What is your best moment in sports?
"I think my first experience on the A-10 team and seeing the atmosphere and everyone buzzing around and everyone was so positive and upbeat and we all knew that we were going to do really well at a meet together."
Do you have any siblings?
"I do. I have a younger sister. She's only 14 so there's a big age gap and she's currently swimming in high school and loving it as much as I do."
No family rivalries?
"No, we're a little far away from that. I think if we'd been closer there would definitely be some competition."
Who's the best singer on the team? Best dancer?
"Best singer and best dancer both go to Carly Byron who is never afraid to show off her many talents."
Who is the funniest on the team?
"I think Katie Scordato is the funniest. She's a sophomore and I can always count on her to make me keel over laughing."
Who is the most intense while competing?
"I would say Rebecca Quiery, she has got an incredible competitive side to her and her sweet disposition, don't let it fool you, when she gets in the pool and gets on the blocks, she's ready to go at all times."
Where do you like to hang out on campus?
"I like Roots. I'm a night owl, so the fact that it's open until two or three in the morning is definitely right up my alley and I'm always there having coffee at all hours."
What advice would you give a young person about being successful in life?
"I would say take every opportunity you're given and take advantage of them because you won't realize that not everyone is given that opportunity until you look back."