Written by Sarah Bergstrom, USC blog contributor
USC athletes are more than just champions on the field, court, diamond, and pool, they're champions in the classroom as well. Each week, we will get to know one of these scholarly Trojans a little better in our student-athlete spotlight.
Name: James Walters
Year: Sophomore
Sport: Men's Water Polo
Major: Undecided (Interested in Finance)
Sarah Bergstrom (SB): You went to Mater Dei and obviously did well in high school both academically and athletically. Did going to a rigorous high school help you adjust to college a little bit easier?
James Walters (JW): I thought it definitely prepared me. But still college is college. It's all about managing time. I didn't have much of a reference before high school because I was home schooled so Mater Dei helped me.
SB: Was the adjustment to USC difficult at first?
JW: At first, yeah. I didn't really know how to manage my time, plan for midterms and all of that right away. I figured it out, but it was definitely an adjustment. Balancing water polo and school was tough but a lot of the older guys helped me out. They'd tell me when to start studying for midterms and plan ahead with games and stuff. They helped me a lot with all of that.
SB: Right now you're undecided on your major, but do you know what you're interested in?
JW: Yes, I'm very interested in business finance. I have to apply to the business school, so I plan on doing that. I need to start talking to counselors and people in the school and figure out if that's really the right thing for me. I think I'd like to go into hedge funds. That's what my family does at the moment and it's very interesting.
SB: Obviously with playing a sport you probably don't get the chance to do as many internships as your peers, what has been your experience in the finance world?
JW: I got very lucky with that because my family is big into it. My older brother has been doing it for about six to seven years now and I can still go in their office whenever I want. Unfortunately it's in Reno, but over the summer I'd go up there when I have more time off and be more exposed to it.
SB: One thing I'm always interested in hearing, and a lot of athletes say it's true, do you find that being an athlete has given you skills in your area of interest that you might not have had otherwise?
JW: It's funny that you say that, we were talking last night in our meeting about how the things we learn in our team meetings are often more beneficial than some of the stuff we even learn in class, as far as business settings and the value of teamwork and all of that.
SB: Along that line, a lot of your teammates are from other countries and I'm sure water polo has given you the opportunity to travel. What have those experiences with other cultures brought to your life?
JW: I've definitely traveled two or three times to Europe. But having the foreign athletes is really cool. I've gotten along really well with them and it's kind of cool to see their work ethic. They're all really hard workers and really genuine guys, they're very different from most Americans here, in a lot of good ways. It's definitely awesome exposure.
Name: James WaltersYear: Sophomore
Sport: Men's Water Polo
Major: Undecided (Interested in Finance)
Sarah Bergstrom (SB): You went to Mater Dei and obviously did well in high school both academically and athletically. Did going to a rigorous high school help you adjust to college a little bit easier?
James Walters (JW): I thought it definitely prepared me. But still college is college. It's all about managing time. I didn't have much of a reference before high school because I was home schooled so Mater Dei helped me.
SB: Was the adjustment to USC difficult at first?
JW: At first, yeah. I didn't really know how to manage my time, plan for midterms and all of that right away. I figured it out, but it was definitely an adjustment. Balancing water polo and school was tough but a lot of the older guys helped me out. They'd tell me when to start studying for midterms and plan ahead with games and stuff. They helped me a lot with all of that.
SB: Right now you're undecided on your major, but do you know what you're interested in?
JW: Yes, I'm very interested in business finance. I have to apply to the business school, so I plan on doing that. I need to start talking to counselors and people in the school and figure out if that's really the right thing for me. I think I'd like to go into hedge funds. That's what my family does at the moment and it's very interesting.
SB: Obviously with playing a sport you probably don't get the chance to do as many internships as your peers, what has been your experience in the finance world?
JW: I got very lucky with that because my family is big into it. My older brother has been doing it for about six to seven years now and I can still go in their office whenever I want. Unfortunately it's in Reno, but over the summer I'd go up there when I have more time off and be more exposed to it.
SB: One thing I'm always interested in hearing, and a lot of athletes say it's true, do you find that being an athlete has given you skills in your area of interest that you might not have had otherwise?
JW: It's funny that you say that, we were talking last night in our meeting about how the things we learn in our team meetings are often more beneficial than some of the stuff we even learn in class, as far as business settings and the value of teamwork and all of that.
SB: Along that line, a lot of your teammates are from other countries and I'm sure water polo has given you the opportunity to travel. What have those experiences with other cultures brought to your life?
JW: I've definitely traveled two or three times to Europe. But having the foreign athletes is really cool. I've gotten along really well with them and it's kind of cool to see their work ethic. They're all really hard workers and really genuine guys, they're very different from most Americans here, in a lot of good ways. It's definitely awesome exposure.
SB: What has been your favorite class that you've taken here?
JW: I really enjoy my accounting class right now actually. It's weird but I really enjoy it, I like my professor and the way he teaches. It seems like it's going to be very interesting, it's straightforward to me. It seems like either you get it or you don't and I seem to get it so far.
SB: Switching to water polo, obviously you made a good start as a freshman last year. Now as a sophomore, what do you feel like your role is on this team?
JW: This season is a little different for me because I'm a captain. It's the same goal, we always want to win. My role is to find where I fit in best for the team and that's always different. Last year I came in and had never played the position before that I was asked to play, and so I learned it and played. I have to mold into the position that the team needs me for.
SB: Are there certain areas that you want to focus on now that you have that added responsibility?
JW: I think just working to unite the team. In the water we have our plays and we have leadership there. But I think the area we're working on is uniting each other outside the pool so that we're thinking about water polo and talking about what we're going to feel when we're in those big games. It's a totally different feel and something you wouldn't expect when you get into NCAA finals.
SB: Your class is the first one in a long time to not have an NCAA championship under their belt as they move into the next year. Does that give you a little extra motivation maybe this season?
JW: We broke the streak [laughs] so that's on our minds every single day when we train. This year, we want to win it and start a new streak. Our chemistry is awesome outside the water and in the water. We have a lot of speed and a lot of depth. Most teams are playing nine, 10, 11 guys and we're playing 14 or 15. Just interchangeably. We're a really young team with a lot of energy. We're all willing to work and we're all completely committed to it.
JW: I really enjoy my accounting class right now actually. It's weird but I really enjoy it, I like my professor and the way he teaches. It seems like it's going to be very interesting, it's straightforward to me. It seems like either you get it or you don't and I seem to get it so far.
SB: Switching to water polo, obviously you made a good start as a freshman last year. Now as a sophomore, what do you feel like your role is on this team?
JW: This season is a little different for me because I'm a captain. It's the same goal, we always want to win. My role is to find where I fit in best for the team and that's always different. Last year I came in and had never played the position before that I was asked to play, and so I learned it and played. I have to mold into the position that the team needs me for.
SB: Are there certain areas that you want to focus on now that you have that added responsibility?
JW: I think just working to unite the team. In the water we have our plays and we have leadership there. But I think the area we're working on is uniting each other outside the pool so that we're thinking about water polo and talking about what we're going to feel when we're in those big games. It's a totally different feel and something you wouldn't expect when you get into NCAA finals.
SB: Your class is the first one in a long time to not have an NCAA championship under their belt as they move into the next year. Does that give you a little extra motivation maybe this season?
JW: We broke the streak [laughs] so that's on our minds every single day when we train. This year, we want to win it and start a new streak. Our chemistry is awesome outside the water and in the water. We have a lot of speed and a lot of depth. Most teams are playing nine, 10, 11 guys and we're playing 14 or 15. Just interchangeably. We're a really young team with a lot of energy. We're all willing to work and we're all completely committed to it.
