Featured Freshman Friday: Sydney Power

Sydney Power is a diver in the pool, a scientist in the biology lab and a baby in a family for Halloween on Friday. The die-hard Chicago Blackhawks fan originally from Glen Ellyn, Illinois moved to Tampa, Florida just before high school—the day before the Blackhawks returned to Chicago for a parade downtown with the 2010 Stanley Cup. From the Windy City to the Sunshine State, Power was drawn to KU by the Jayhawk pride. In this week’s Freshman Friday, KUAthletics.com sat down with Power to get the scoop on the diver outside the pool.
 
Why did you decide to dive for KU?
“I was looking at KU before I decided that I wanted to dive at college. My mom went here, too. I went to a basketball game and I loved the spirit at Kansas. I love how everyone always walks around with KU gear on and I love the atmosphere. When I came on my recruiting trip, I had already been here a few times and the opportunity to dive just seemed so awesome, so I decided after my recruiting trip to commit.”
 
What are you looking forward to the most about being on this team?
“I’m looking forward to the championship season, I’m really excited to see what all of us can do. We’ve all, even thus far, improved so much. I’m excited to see how we end up.”
 
Besides diving, what are your hobbies?
“Well, umm… I’m always in the pool so… does Netflix count? I just finished ‘New Girl.’ I also watch ‘Dexter.’ I’ve got to have some other hobbies. I don’t play hockey, but I am a die-hard Blackhawks fan. I love watching the Blackhawks.”
 
What is your favorite pool game?
“It’s called ‘Jump or Dive.’ You do your hurdle to the end of the board and when you’re mid-air your coach calls out “jump” or “dive.” So if he calls out dive and you’re in the middle of the jump, it’s really hard to get out of it. It’s funny to watch everyone belly-flop.”
 
What has been your most memorable diving moment so far?
“State my senior year. I had a really good meet. I didn’t place as high as I wanted to, but it was the best I had ever done at state so it was a great feeling.”
 
What has been your favorite vacation?
“In sixth grade my whole family went to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. We stayed at a resort and we were planning to stay for a week. We were having so much fun that my parents changed the flight to stay longer, so we got to stay an extra four days.”
 
Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
“Probably still in med school. That’s the plan right now, but I’m not sure if I’ll still be pre-med or pre-PA. If I went pre-PA, I’ll probably—hopefully—be out of school in 10 years. But if I’m on the pre-med track, I’ll probably be in med school or doing my residency or something. I’m thinking about pediatrics. I have Crohn’s disease, and I have a really good relationship with my pediatric GI doctor, so I’ve thought about going into that specialty too, but I don’t really know.”
 
What is your favorite KU tradition?
“The Rock Chalk Chant. After basketball games, or any games really, but it’s so cool in Allen Fieldhouse.”
 
What is your favorite food?
“Does ice cream count? Besides ice cream I love sushi! My favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate or chocolate peanut butter.”
 
What is your favorite song or artist to get pumped up to?
“Probably Eminem. He just motivates me, you know? He’s had a tough life, he pushes through, he’s good.”
 
Tell us something that most people don’t know about you.
“Okay this is really weird. I can’t look to the right with my right eye. My right eye just doesn’t go to the right (laughs). I know, it’s really weird. It’s called Duane Syndrome. My brain just tells my right eye to move right and left at the same time, it’s a neurological disorder. I mean, everyone on the team knows because I think it’s hilarious but sometimes I’ll just do it to mess with people!”
 
If you plan to trick-or-treating at the Jayhawk Towers on Halloween, don’t let Power trick you into thinking she has a permanent lazy-eye. Rather, let her treat you to showing off her diving skills when the team hosts North Dakota and Big 12 rival TCU in Robinson Natatorium on Saturday, November 1 at 1 p.m.