Crimson Characters: Swimming and Diving Team-- *Sam Wollner*
Courtesy: Harvard Athletic Communications
Release: 01/09/2008
Senior swimming and diving co-captain Sam Wollner
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and his teammates have gotten off to a 3-0 start in dual meets this
season including a fourth place finish at the Georgia Invitational. It
was there he finished fourth in the 500 freestyle with a time of
4:24.49, which earned him a "B" standard.
Wollner recognizes the talent that the Crimson has and understands that
as captain, it is his job to try and get the most out of it.
"We have an unusually talented, young group that has a great chance to
win conference this year and send some guys to the NCAA championship. I
also feel a responsibility toward the younger guys on the team to
encourage them to pursue all the opportunities that Harvard offers
across the river in Cambridge."
/*What is your concentration here at Harvard?*/
Biological Anthropology.
/*How has it prepared you for life when you graduate?*/
Bio Anthro has been amazing. It has helped me put biology and medicine
in perspective for me from a human standpoint. I spent most of high
school learning about the sciences from a lab bench, but I have come to
appreciate the field for its human and cultural elements. I now have a
much more enlightened and respectful view of biology and medicine. I
know this will be priceless as I pursue a career in medicine or related
to medicine.
/*What can you take from athletics and apply it to the classroom and
what can you take from the classroom and apply it to athletics?*/
My favorite classes at Harvard have been smaller seminar classes that
allow students to have open discussions. My experiences in athletics and
competition have helped me because I don't have any "performance
anxiety" when it comes to speaking or presenting results to an audience.
The seminars also require an ability to work well in teams, whether it
is facilitating the flow of a discussion or working with classmates on a
research project. The classroom has developed my analytical abilities.
As a captain, you need to be able to step back and survey the situation,
and understand how you can make things better for yourself, your
teammates, and your coach.
/*Why did you choose to attend Harvard and what other schools did you
consider?*/
I thought I would bring some Yankee pride to Red Sox nation as a
die-hard New Yorker and fan. In all honesty, all the schools I was
looking at during the college process offered great educations, but the
Harvard swim team stood out as the best fit for me as a student-athlete.
Harvard swimming also has a tradition of outstanding distance freestyle
swimmers, so that was definitely a legacy I wanted to be a part of.
/*What has been the best course you have taken while at Harvard?*/
I took a junior tutorial class with a professor in the Bio Anthro
department last semester. It was just me and the professor, one-on-one
for two hours every week. It was a unique opportunity to toss ideas
around for a couple hours with an expert in the field.
/*
You were elected as team captain for the upcoming season. What does this
honor mean to you?*/
It is privilege. The respect and friendship of my teammates is
invaluable to me. They are my family away from home and I treat them as
such. It is tremendously gratifying to be acknowledged for my passion
and commitment to Harvard men's swimming and diving by being elected
captain. It's also a privilege to be co-captain alongside one of my best
friends in college, Geoff Rathgeber
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/*
As captain, what will be your most important role?*/
My most important role will be to set the standard for work ethic and
respectful competition on the team. We have an unusually talented, young
group that has a great chance to win conference this year and send some
guys to the NCAA championship. Fortunately the role of guiding the team
to a championship is a responsibility I share with my outstanding senior
classmates on the team. I also feel a responsibility toward the younger
guys on the team to encourage them to pursue all the opportunities that
Harvard offers across the river in Cambridge.
/*When not at practice how do you like to spend your free time?*/
These days it is looking for a job and figuring out the start to a
career path. I always try to make it down to the athletic complex for at
least one game each Saturday though.
/*What is one sport that you have no real background in that you would
like to try at Harvard?*/
My cousins were captains of the hockey team at Boston College, so I grew
up watching them do great things on the ice. I also love watching the
Harvard hockey teams, so I would definitely be up for quality time over
at the Bright Hockey Center.
/*
What is the best way to spend $10 on food in Harvard Square?*/
A grande chicken burrito at Felipe's followed up by some Lizzie's ice cream.
/*What movie can be found in your DVD player at the moment?*/
Braveheart.
/*Do you have any superstitions or routines you go through before each
meet?*/
I always count on my mom to find a lucky penny for me sometime before
the start of a big meet. I usually get a text message before the meet
saying we're good to go. I try not to buy into superstition, but I know
my mom's got my back if it does count.
/*What game show would you like to be featured on?*/
The Price Is Right. I always wanted to get on when Bob Barker was still
the host.
/*What reality TV show would you like to be on?*/
To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of reality TV. I just dressed up as
Flavor Flav for Halloween though. I think he's hilarious (and Public
Enemy is legendary), so being on set for his "Flavor of Love" show would
be pretty cool.
/*If someone made a movie of your life, who would play your character?*/
I think Matt Damon would be an excellent pick, maybe Tom Cruise before
he lost his mind on Oprah.
/*What is the best spot on campus? In Boston?*/
The stands at Blodgett, I hear they really take care of their fans
there. In Boston it's Newbury Street, towards the Hynes Convention
Center T stop (away from the over-priced designer clothes store closer
to Boston Public garden): great people, great restaurants and great
shops. Any further West, however, and you're too close to Fenway; you
have to stay away from that place.
/*What would you do with $1 million and you can't invest it?*/
I would travel. I'd love to spend some time in Africa and South East
Asia without any business commitments, just cultural immersion.
/*If you had a free ticket to any sporting event in the world what would
it be?*/
An all-access pass to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
/*If you had to do karaoke what song would you pick?*/
Travis Tritt-It's a Great Day to Be Alive
/*Which teammate would be the best karaoke singer?*/
That is easy. My teammate, and co-captain, Geoff is a regular at Uno's
karaoke night.
/*
What do you think happened at the end of The Sopranos?*/
I was a big fan in high school, but I haven't had the time to keep up in
college. I'd like to think Tony heads out of town to Sicily and just
relaxes on the beach for the rest of his life...those panic attacks were
vicious.
/*
Favorite professional sports teams?*/
The Yankees.
/*
If you could have lunch with any three people from history who would
they be?*/
Martin Luther King, Jr., Jack Kerouac and Louis Pasteur.
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