Sydney Watson has been a force on the lacrosse field all season long. Photo by Kevin Lindstrom/The Daily Campus
Sydney Watson, a sophomore on the UConn women’s lacrosse team, has finished the season on a win, with some large season contributions. Watson finished the season winning a total of 92 draw controls throughout the season, helping her team offensively, scored 39 of her own goals and contributed to 51 of the Huskies’ overall points this season. Watson started all 17 games for the Huskies and was a vital asset to the team. For The Daily Campus’ Athlete Spotlight series, we got a chance to sit down with the Prince Frederick, Maryland native and get a glimpse into her life as a student-athlete.
Hanaisha Lewis: What age did you start playing lacrosse and why?
Sydney Watson: I started playing lacrosse when I was six. I started because I was the type of kid that wanted to try everything, so it started with soccer, basketball and then I tried lacrosse. I tried other sports like field hockey, but lacrosse just stuck.
HL: Why’d you choose UConn?
SW: When I got here I really loved the campus, the coaches were great, and the team seemed so close and it was just something that I wanted to be a part of.
HL: How often do you see your family?
SW: They come to most of my games, which makes me really happy because I am really close with my family, so I see them pretty often. I think my dad has come to every game except for two, maybe, and my mom comes to most to all of the weekend games, so I see them pretty often.
HL: Do you have any hobbies?
SW: My dad’s into photography and he kind of got me into that. So while I’m home I’ll go out and take pictures with him and do anything like that. Other than that I’m pretty much of a homebody, so I don’t do much.
HL: Five things you can’t live without?
SW: I would say I can’t live without my family … I probably couldn’t live without my friends. I don’t think there’s anything else.
HL: Are you superstitious?
SW: I wouldn’t say I’m superstitious, but I have things I always do before games. So I always let my mom pick the color headband I wear, and if she doesn’t get to pick I feel like something isn’t right.
HL: What’s your most embarrassing moment that you’ve experienced since you’ve been in college?
SW: I would say probably falling down the stairs in study hall and I actually sprained my ankle doing it, so it was really unathletic and my coaches and teammates made fun of me for it for a while.
HL: What’s your major?
SW: I’m doing an individualized major. It’s going to be Crime and Justice.
HL: What would you want to do with that?
SW: I have an aspiration to go into the FBI or something like that, so that’s what I’m hoping for.
HL: What field of the FBI would you want to go into?
SW: I want to do profiling, so kind of like “Criminal Minds” type stuff.
HL: Favorite class you’ve taken so far?
SW: My favorite class is probably either Introduction into Criminal Justice or I’m taking HDFS Family Interactions this semester. That one would probably be my favorite because of the professor that I have it with, Kristin. She’s so funny, super nice and she makes it easy to go to.
HL: What’s your favorite social media app?
SW: My favorite would probably be Instagram because I get to see what my friends at home are up to.
HL: Favorite food?
SW: Probably mashed potatoes.
HL: Favorite show?
SW: I would say Criminal Minds or Grey’s Anatomy.
HL: What’s your favorite thing to do on campus?
SW: Probably hang out with my friends and teammates. We’re together a lot and it’s always a great time when we are together, so I would say being around them.
HL: What’s your favorite thing to do in your down time?
SW: I like to watch Grey’s Anatomy and just relax because it’s our downtime, which means we’re off of lacrosse, means relaxing is key.
HL: Who’s someone you look up to and why?
SW: I look up to my mom and dad a lot because they’re both really hard workers and through all of their busy times they still have time to support me and my brother and be there for us whenever they can. When I become a mom I want to be like them.
HL: What’s the typical day in the life?
SW: Wake up, I have treatment three days a week, so I have to go to that. Then I’ll have class. Practice will go two and a half or three hours and we’ll have lift with that. Some days I do have class after practice and go back to my room and hang out with my roommates.
HL: What’s your favorite memory at UConn so far?
SW: Probably getting to know everyone. Making new friends and being around my team so often. It’s just so much fun being here and we always find things to do or different things to experience and it’s just great.
Hanaisha Lewis is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at hanaisha.lewis@uconn.edu.
