Each week former FDU-Florham men's basketball standout and current Sports Information Intern John Flete will select a student-athlete as the featured Devil of the Week. John's interview this week is with women's swimming sophomore Sarah Bennett
John: How did you become interested in swimming?
Sarah: My parents forced me and after a couple of practices I felt in love with it
J: What do you believe is your key strength in swimming?
S: I believe my underwater is my key, I put a lot of time into it.
J: What is it like when you are standing behind the block getting ready for your race?
S: It’s nerve racking even though I’ve been playing the sport for a long time.
J: How long have you been swimming?
S: I have been swimming for 14 years.
J: How does it feel when you win a race?
S: Makes all the effort you put in during the offseason and during the season worth it.
J: What is the best thing about swimming?
S: The best thing to me is when I am overly stressed, I can just dive in the pool and forget about everything.
J: What is your favorite swimsuit company?
S: My favorite suit to practice in is Nike, and for competition I wear Speedo.
J: Do you do any dryland water exercises?
S: Some dryland exercises I do is abs and lift from time to time. I mainly focus on body weight and core is also very important.
J: Is there anything you do to prepare the night before a race?
S: The night before I go to sleep, I tried to visualize my race. I focus on everything I have to do from being behind the block, to diving in the water.
J: Do you have any pre-ritual before the race to get you pumped up?
S: People might think I am crazy but I usually smack myself, and shake my whole body to get my blood flowing.
J: How important is winning the race to you?
S: Winning is important but to our current team I feel it is not. The reason why is because we do not have a full roster. Not having the necessary people for the race has hurt us, but I believe later on in life it will change. So for now, I try my best to compete against myself.
J: What is your favorite stroke?
S: I have two --butterfly, and freestyle.
J: Going into a race do you usually get excited, nervous or a little bit of both?
S: I have to say a little bit of both. A nervous swimmer is a fast swimmer so it doesn’t hurt being nervous.
Quick hits
J: What is your favorite professional sport team?
S: The Philadelphia Phillies
J: Who is your favorite athlete of all-time?
S: I have more than one. Mark Spitz, Ryan Lochte, Jason Lezak, and of course Michael Phelps
J: What is your favorite pregame meal?
S: My favorite pregame meal is pasta.
J: What is your favorite movie?
All the Harry Potter movies.
J: What is your favorite TV show?
S: My favorite TV show has to be “How I Met Your Mother”
J: Who do you listen to during pregame music?
S: I listen to anything but country music
J: Who is your favorite actor/actress?
S: Emma Watson is my favorite.
J: What is your favorite vacation that you have been on?
S: Italy during my senior year of high school was my favorite vacation that I have been on.
J: If you could visit one country which country would it be and why?
S: I would actually go back to Italy, everything was beautiful. Also England because of Harry Potter.
J: What is your favorite book?
S: Has to be all the Harry Potter books.
J: What is something that bothers you the most, your biggest “pet peeve”?
S: People that complain all the time.
J: What do you do in your free time?
S: In my free time I love to ski, dive and do adventurous things.
J: If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would buy?
S: If I won the lottery the first thing I would do is pay off all my loans, and pay my parents mortgage on the house.
