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Catherine Hunt (Penn '05) |
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Bio
 What was your experience in youth athletics? Were there opportunities available to you?
I've had some great experiences with youth athletics, including summer swim team beginning when I was six, as well as playing on youth basketball and softball teams throughout junior high. When I think of youth athletics, I think of car pools, parent-coaches, local competitions, and recreational fun. These early experiences instilled in me a sense of sportsmanship and the basics fundamentals of athleticism. When I played JV soccer as a freshman in high school, as well as rowed for my club crew team, it was then that I began to define myself as an athlete.
Were there programs in the area you grew up in?
I spent many summers swimming for a local swim club, which was a ten minute drive from my house, and played for local basketball and softball teams often taught by a player's dad. Everything except crew was very localized and easy to be a part of. For crew, however, I had to drive to Oakland, about a 45-minute drive, to row for a club because my high school had no crew team.
Did you have to go above and beyond to be able to participate in the athletic organization that you chose?
Well, compared to the ease of participating in high school sports, or localized club sports, rowing for Oakland Strokes was a little bit of a challenge at times. Morning practice, which began at 5:00 am. meant that car pool had to leave at 4:30 in the morning, which also made getting back home in time for school equally tricky. Participating in and sacrificing for a sport that your high school friends and community knew nothing about also made the sport a bit tougher to participate in, but I think these challenges helped create a sense of silent pride and bond within not only my crew team, but within the rowing community as well who more often than not share these similar experiences.
Why did you choose to come to an Ivy League school?
When I first learned of Penn and visited the campus and met the crew team, the honor, tradition, and history of the school really struck me. The competitiveness within the Ivy League, as well as the high standards for academics and athletics modeled exactly what I always perceived college to be like.
How does an Ivy League experience affect your athletics pursuits?
The Ivy League has helped shape how I now define true athleticism. The degree to which Ivy League athletes train and sacrifice to represent their school, and to support their team is inspiring. I think competing within the Ivy League has raised the bar for me and what I perceive to be possible for my team, and myself; both physically and mentally.
Has the Ivy League held you back because the academic requirements are so stringent?
I think most athletes come into the Ivy League expecting the academic requirements to be tough, and in part choose it for this reason. Yes, sometimes I lookat other schools and make comparisons, but I think high demands both physically and mentally produce the best type of athletes and people.
How has the national climate concerning women’s athletics changed since you were in school?
I think that women's basketball as well as soccer may have gained more national publicity within the past five or so years, possibly due to the media and examples from national, and other equally successful teams. I think there are more female athletes serving as role models now that are known to the general public.
What obstacles still stand to young women who want to participate in athletics?
I think there are fewer obstacles for current collegiate athletes than before. My crew team is well funded, well staffed, and there are fewer stigmas attached to female athleticism than I think before.
What impact has athletics had on your life?
Athletics has played a remarkable role within my life; teaching me about dedication, honor, confidence, success, failure, and resilience, to only name a few. I define myself as an athlete and try to apply what I have learned from my experiences throughout the other aspects of my life. I take pride in being an athlete, and am grateful for the opportunities and experiences I have had throughout my athletic career.
What has athletics done for young girls that choose to participate?
I think girls who are choosing to participate in sports have the opportunity to be greatly successful in many aspects of their lives, having learned such things as how to push oneself in the face of defeat, how to inspire others, how to lead, how to break through barriers they once thought existed, and to not be afraid of failure or of being seen as different, but to take pride in defeating both. I am grateful for being able to participate in a competitive league where women's sports are celebrated and female athletes admired, and hope that more girls are able to take part in such an atmosphere.
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