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Sarah Collins Senior Profile
3/26/2015 6:00:00 AM | Fencing, Athletics
DURHAM, N.C. – Recently, GoDuke.com sat down with senior Sarah Collins to learn more about the Palm Harbor, Fla., native.
GoDuke.com: What has been your favorite place to compete with fencing?
Sarah Collins: Well I think the home meets are always really fun. But I actually really enjoy the Northwestern meet we do every other year. It's kind of a test of everything. So just the group relations, two days of just really intense fencing, and how you can deal with your teammates. Also yourself, just testing yourself. It's always the hardest meet we have every two years. We fence all of the really difficult schools all at once, so it really just tests you physically, emotionally, and mentally, but I really like it because you have all of those right down there. It's a good precursor to what NCAAs would be. But also just being able to experience all of that with all of your teammates, it just shows what you're made of.
GoDuke.com: What is one lesson competing in fencing has taught you that you can use the rest of your life?
SC: That things are ever-changing. You can fence the same person eight times and have completely different outcomes no matter what and that it's all mental game. Just that everything is not how it appears to be and you have to take things where they are at the certain time.
GoDuke.com: What does it mean to you to represent Duke?
SC: A lot. I think that just being on a team is very different for me in general since I went to a very small club. I was the only girl at that time. It was a very individualistic sport and so going to a team is amazing. But then having Duke behind it which carries so much clout. It carries so much in the professional, academic, and athletic world that just being able to say that is awesome, and it also carries a family that will be able to go on after college.
GoDuke.com: What will you miss most once your time at Duke is over?
SC: My teammates. Like I said, I've never really had a team. I've never had a group sport to really rely on my teammates. I think I've learned so much from them, and we're obviously really close and they're all crazy and wonderful, so missing them will be the biggest thing.
GoDuke.com: Do you have any pre-bout routine?
SC: When we're in the bus before we go, I have to listen to some really up-tempo stuff which is either some rap music or Latin rap music. And after that, just making sure to warm up and keeping up some light spirits.
#GoDuke
GoDuke.com: What has been your favorite place to compete with fencing?
Sarah Collins: Well I think the home meets are always really fun. But I actually really enjoy the Northwestern meet we do every other year. It's kind of a test of everything. So just the group relations, two days of just really intense fencing, and how you can deal with your teammates. Also yourself, just testing yourself. It's always the hardest meet we have every two years. We fence all of the really difficult schools all at once, so it really just tests you physically, emotionally, and mentally, but I really like it because you have all of those right down there. It's a good precursor to what NCAAs would be. But also just being able to experience all of that with all of your teammates, it just shows what you're made of.
GoDuke.com: What is one lesson competing in fencing has taught you that you can use the rest of your life?
SC: That things are ever-changing. You can fence the same person eight times and have completely different outcomes no matter what and that it's all mental game. Just that everything is not how it appears to be and you have to take things where they are at the certain time.
GoDuke.com: What does it mean to you to represent Duke?
SC: A lot. I think that just being on a team is very different for me in general since I went to a very small club. I was the only girl at that time. It was a very individualistic sport and so going to a team is amazing. But then having Duke behind it which carries so much clout. It carries so much in the professional, academic, and athletic world that just being able to say that is awesome, and it also carries a family that will be able to go on after college.
GoDuke.com: What will you miss most once your time at Duke is over?
SC: My teammates. Like I said, I've never really had a team. I've never had a group sport to really rely on my teammates. I think I've learned so much from them, and we're obviously really close and they're all crazy and wonderful, so missing them will be the biggest thing.
GoDuke.com: Do you have any pre-bout routine?
SC: When we're in the bus before we go, I have to listen to some really up-tempo stuff which is either some rap music or Latin rap music. And after that, just making sure to warm up and keeping up some light spirits.
#GoDuke
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