USC Swimmers on 'The New Normal'

During a time when everyone is adjusting to a life of quarantine and social distancing, many USC swimmers, including those abroad like freshman Nicole Pavlopoulou, have experienced challenges nobody ever thought possible.

USC announced on March 16 that courses would be taught online for the remainder of the semester. With a little over two weeks of online classes completed, student athletes are beginning to adjust to a new normal with no organized training, limited social interaction and a new style of learning.

"Everything escalated so quickly, I found myself having to pack my whole dorm, find somewhere to store my things and book a flight home all within less than 12 hours" said freshman swimmer Pavlopoulou. In addition to the challenges she faced when announcements and decisions were just being made by both the University and the NCAA, the freshman swimmer is also battling a difference in time zone.

With university classes being held online, and Greece being 10 hours ahead of Los Angeles time "I have some classes and meetings which take place from 12-6 AM Greece time. So, I basically live in two time zones" said the NCAA qualifying freshman.

Pavlopoulou, a freshman scorer at the 2020 Pac-12 Championships, was set to compete at the 2020 NCAA Swimming Championships in Athens, GA., prior to the events cancellation. Now home, she is spending her time studying, taking classes online, hanging out with family and trying to stay in shape.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced the closure of pools globally to avoid further spread. With Trojans now home at different places across the world, these athletes have been faced with the challenge of staying in shape while not having access to an essential training tool, the pool.

Unlike many other sports, swimming requires the use of muscles throughout the entire body that is difficult to replicate outside of the pool. While weight training and calisthenics can help strengthen and condition the body, no exercise can truly mimic the pool and stroke training these athletes are used to.

For sophomore David Mertz "having to stop swimming has been the toughest part of quarantine. It is a sport that you need a very specific facility for, and every single pool is closed." Body weights and a stationary bike in his family garage, along with the occasional run have been the main sources of staying in shape for Mertz.

"School starting again and keeping in touch with teammates over phone calls and FaceTime's has helped a lot. I've also began a few projects like woodworking and landscaping to help out around the house" said Mertz. After months of adjusting to life as a student-athlete, busy with training and academics, Mertz now finds himself having an abundance of free time, a unique situation for any collegiate athlete.

With a little less than six weeks remaining in the USC Academic semester, freshmen like Pavlopoulou and Mertz can only wonder, what's next. Their first year at USC was anything but ordinary, but with three years remaining they can only hope this 'new normal' will soon be a thing of the past.

Players Mentioned

David Mertz

Nicole Pavlopoulou