By: Huntre Keip ’20, Staff writer
For some college students, studying abroad while missing half of a sports season is not an easy adjustment, but one LVC swimmer proved otherwise.
D’anna Sydow, backstroke and butterfly specialist, studied abroad in London during the 2017 fall semester. As a neuroscience and psychology double major, she took many classes related to psychology and British life. She enjoyed these classes and traveling to other countries, but one of the priorities in her life was missing: swimming.
“I basically had a year off from swimming, so I was really anxious to get back into the pool,” Sydow said.
While the rest of the swim team began their training season on Sept. 11, Sydow flew to London to begin her new experience.
Sydow was unable to swim because the only public pools available were in gyms. To purchase a gym membership, she needed a U.K. bank account. Her lack of access to training frustrated her, but when she returned to LVC, her frustration subsided.
“Being in a place where I was comfortable like LVC made the adjustment so much better,” Sydow said. “My swim family was there supporting me, and I felt that love.”
The swimmer returned to campus with the swim team a week before classes started, which gave her the jump start she needed to finish the season.
Her determination followed through by qualifying for the MACs twice, in both the 100 meter backstroke and 100 meter butterfly.
“It didn’t surprise me that D’anna qualified for two events,” Mary Gardner, LVC’s head swim coach, said. “Although she probably felt like a fish out of water, she didn’t act that way.”
The MAC Championship was held Feb. 15-18 at the YMCA in York, Pa.
For more information about the results of MACs, visit www.gomacsports.com.