I chose OWU because I liked the close-knit feel of campus and all of the opportunities available...
Name: Phoebe Lightfoot
Class Year: 2023
Major: Integrated science education
Why did you choose Ohio Wesleyan?
I chose OWU because I liked the close-knit feel of campus and all of the opportunities available (my specific major, being able to swim and do a cappella, etc.).
Why did you choose your major?
I've always wanted to teach for as long as I could remember. When I was in kindergarten I told my father that I wanted to teach either kindergarten or first grade because I didn't think I would understand past that. I apparently didn't realize that I'd go through all of the grades before actually becoming a teacher. I decided on teaching high school science based on some of the excellent science teachers that I had during my own high school experience and due to my love of genetics, chemistry, and forensics.
What is your number one goal, personal or team, for this season?
Every year I write down time goals for all of my events and pin them to a bulletin board in my room. Revealing my specific time goals seems the same as saying what you wished for upon blowing out your birthday candles, so I won't, but something I work towards every season is getting and feeling stronger in and out of the pool.
What event/sport other than your own would you like to try?
Gymnastics, specifically the parallel bars. Though I am not at all flexible, have a healthy fear of heights, and don't even know how to do a cartwheel, I think flying through the air and being able to move my body the way Olympic gymnasts do would be incredible. I also envy the sheer amount of strength gymnasts possess.
What athletic or academic achievement/accomplishment are you most proud of?
I swam a personal best in all of my events at our final, conference, meet last season. With the pandemic affecting the way the team was able to practice and providing us with limited competition opportunities, I’m pretty proud of how well the season still turned out for myself and the rest of the team as well.
Why do you like your sport?
I like the water and the way it feels to move through it and how good it feels to finish a practice. I also like how improvement is so easy to measure through dropped time.
Is there a specific coach or teammate who has helped you get where you are?
A lot of people motivate me through swim practice every day. Richard Hawes, OWU’s head swimming coach, is truly the best coach I have ever had and pushes me to be better every time I'm in the pool. My teammates also inspire me to keep going, even on the days when the last thing I want is to get into the pool.
Which three people, living or dead, would you like to share a meal with?
Probably my two younger sisters and Taylor Swift. I'm from Houston and therefore am not able to go home too often, so it'd be nice to see my siblings and share with them the experience of meeting someone we all really love and grew up listening to together.
What is your theme song?
I listen to way too much music for this question to be easy. Right now I have the songs my a cappella group is rehearsing stuck on repeat in my head, and the swim team has a playlist we listen to a lot during practice with some songs I think of now as 'swim team staples.' I'll go with Life Must Go On by Quinn XCII, who's my favorite musical artist. I think it's a really good message for when you’re feeling low but also a reminder to enjoy the little things while they last.
If you could visit another time, when would it be and why?
Probably the future. I think history is really neat, but there's things about every past time period that make them seem a little less than desirable, plus I've already gotten to read and otherwise learn about them while the future is a mystery.
by Michaela Alfano '25
