March 16, 2010
Sophomore Sara Safir of the Women's water polo team recently caught up with media relations assistant Brian Elser about the ongoing season. Safir talks about how she first got introduced to the game, some team goals, and what she does out of the pool.
BE: What has been the best part about playing water polo at Santa Clara?
SS: Coach Wilbur has helped me improve so much since day one of my freshman year. He is very knowledgeable and encouraging and inspires me to work hard and continue improving. He also is known to crack a joke or two, which makes practices and trips that much better. Also, I have enjoyed spending (sometimes excessive) amounts of time with my teammates. Without them I would probably be lost. It is a great support system to have, and they are always helping me out in and out of the water.
BE: How long have you been playing water polo? How did you get started playing?
SS: I started swimming competitively when I was 5 and picked up water polo right before I started high school. My sister had played for two years so naturally I had to try it too! I loved both sports so much, and it was challenging balancing both throughout high school. I ultimately decided I had to pick one to continue in college and landed here on the SCU Water Polo team.
BE: Do you have any team or individual goals for the season? Any improvements you'd like to make?
SS: My goal for our team is to place well in conference - we placed 2nd last year which was great for our program. Individually, I'm working on improving my shot, 2-meter defense, and overall game awareness.
BE: Now that the season is about half over, how would you evaluate yourself and the team?
SS: Our team this year consists of half returning players and half new players, so it has taken some time for our offense and defense to click. We are a very talented and hard-working team and I am confident that we will have a strong finish to the season! Personally, I have seen a lot more playing time this season than last year, so it has been a learning experience battling with some very talented teams. I have grown a lot as a player, and I'm excited to continue to improve.
BE: What other activities do you enjoy at Santa Clara besides being a member of the water polo team?
SS: I'm in a sorority, Alpha Phi, and have enjoyed getting involved and taking on various positions. I was the Director of Scholarship last year, and I'm now the Director of Publicity and Advertising. I have also been able to participate in the immersion trips to Mexico during Christmas break through my RLC and build a house for a family in need. Santa Clara has so much to offer and I hope to continue finding new ways to be involved with the school.
