University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Brad Rempel
In the Launch with Victoria West
5/11/2020 10:26:00 AM | Rowing
Assistant Coach Victoria West joined the rowing staff this past summer after spending a season at Grand Valley State University. A former rower herself, West brings years worth of experience that she uses to teach and mold the Minnesota Novice team. Get to know West better with the question and answer below.
Gopher Sports: Why did you decide to come coach at Minnesota?
Victoria West: I wanted to take the next step in my coaching career. I knew that this position would challenge me, and that was something I was seeking.
GS: What do you like to do in your free time?
VW: Watch all the Netflix. I live by a lake, so I like to go for walks and bike rides around the water, that is a lot of fun.
GS: What are your favorite shows to watch on Netflix?
VW: Right now I am watching The Politician and I am waiting for The Crown to come back on soon. I like watching all of the Bravo TV shows on Netflix too.
GS: What is something most people wouldn't know about you?
VW: For people that know me pretty well, I am outgoing, but when you first get to know me I am very shy. I also worked at the Motown Museum. I did an internship there and that was a lot of fun, so that is something interesting about me. I was a museum management intern, so I worked under the actual manager of the museum. I helped her with scheduling, and actually ended up giving tours. I love Motown music.
GS: Why did you decide to go into coaching?
VW: My degree is in hospitality and tourism management with a business minor. Throughout college I would go back home over the summers and coach at local clubs. I did that up until I was a year out of college. I decided to take a break from coaching and focus on my actual career and what I got a degree in. After a while, that wasn't interesting to me anymore and I felt that it was my "safe" option to put my degree to use. Last year I decided, along with my full-time job, to start coaching again to see if it would interest me. I knew that if I was spending more time on coaching compared to my other job, then it was time to make the career swap, which is why I am here.
GS: How has the transition been to Minnesota?
VW: Easy. It has helped having Alyssa [O'Donnell] here, and I have a few cousins that live here as well. I was a little nervous about moving to a big city like this, especially by myself right now, but the whole process has been a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. I love Minneapolis so far, so I am having fun.
GS: How has college rowing changed since you were a collegiate rower?
VW: When I was rowing in college, I was rowing for a club team. There is a difference between club and where we are right now. When I was rowing at Grand Valley, we didn't have the same support that the rowers here do. The resources are insane, in a good way. We had high expectations from where I came from, but the playing field is a lot larger and you have even more of higher expectations at this level.
GS: What is your favorite part about working with the Novices?
VW: When something clicks with them. It is hard to pick up a brand new sport like this, especially at the level they are at. They are obviously expected to pick it up faster. Watching them turn that frustration into excitement, that is the best part.
GS: Did you ever overlap at Grand Valley State University with Coach O'Donnell?
VW: She was actually my coach my sophomore and junior year. She worked with us and we had a lot of fun. We would talk to each other here and there, and if we saw each other at regattas, but that was pretty much it.
GS: What has it been like working with Coach O'Donnell?
VW: A lot of fun. I ask a lot of questions, so it is really nice because she answers all of them. Having someone that knows you so well as an athlete and a person has also made the transition so much easier.
Quick Hits
Dream vacation? I've been to Hawai'i and I would definitely go back there again. Anything tropical like that, maybe Fiji or Bora Bora.
Best pizza topping? Pepperoni and mushroom from Cottage Inn in Ann Arbor.
Favorite movie: My Best Friend's Wedding. Julia Roberts is the best and Cameron Diaz cracks me up in it. I can pretty cuh quote that movie.
Celebrity crush? I would say George Clooney and Denzel Washington.
What coach would you choose to partner up with in the Hunger Games? Alyssa [O'Donnell] hands down. We always have fun no matter what we are doing. It would end in laughing.
Gopher Sports: Why did you decide to come coach at Minnesota?
Victoria West: I wanted to take the next step in my coaching career. I knew that this position would challenge me, and that was something I was seeking.
GS: What do you like to do in your free time?
VW: Watch all the Netflix. I live by a lake, so I like to go for walks and bike rides around the water, that is a lot of fun.
GS: What are your favorite shows to watch on Netflix?
VW: Right now I am watching The Politician and I am waiting for The Crown to come back on soon. I like watching all of the Bravo TV shows on Netflix too.
GS: What is something most people wouldn't know about you?
VW: For people that know me pretty well, I am outgoing, but when you first get to know me I am very shy. I also worked at the Motown Museum. I did an internship there and that was a lot of fun, so that is something interesting about me. I was a museum management intern, so I worked under the actual manager of the museum. I helped her with scheduling, and actually ended up giving tours. I love Motown music.
GS: Why did you decide to go into coaching?
VW: My degree is in hospitality and tourism management with a business minor. Throughout college I would go back home over the summers and coach at local clubs. I did that up until I was a year out of college. I decided to take a break from coaching and focus on my actual career and what I got a degree in. After a while, that wasn't interesting to me anymore and I felt that it was my "safe" option to put my degree to use. Last year I decided, along with my full-time job, to start coaching again to see if it would interest me. I knew that if I was spending more time on coaching compared to my other job, then it was time to make the career swap, which is why I am here.
GS: How has the transition been to Minnesota?
VW: Easy. It has helped having Alyssa [O'Donnell] here, and I have a few cousins that live here as well. I was a little nervous about moving to a big city like this, especially by myself right now, but the whole process has been a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. I love Minneapolis so far, so I am having fun.
GS: How has college rowing changed since you were a collegiate rower?
VW: When I was rowing in college, I was rowing for a club team. There is a difference between club and where we are right now. When I was rowing at Grand Valley, we didn't have the same support that the rowers here do. The resources are insane, in a good way. We had high expectations from where I came from, but the playing field is a lot larger and you have even more of higher expectations at this level.
GS: What is your favorite part about working with the Novices?
VW: When something clicks with them. It is hard to pick up a brand new sport like this, especially at the level they are at. They are obviously expected to pick it up faster. Watching them turn that frustration into excitement, that is the best part.
GS: Did you ever overlap at Grand Valley State University with Coach O'Donnell?
VW: She was actually my coach my sophomore and junior year. She worked with us and we had a lot of fun. We would talk to each other here and there, and if we saw each other at regattas, but that was pretty much it.
GS: What has it been like working with Coach O'Donnell?
VW: A lot of fun. I ask a lot of questions, so it is really nice because she answers all of them. Having someone that knows you so well as an athlete and a person has also made the transition so much easier.
Quick Hits
Dream vacation? I've been to Hawai'i and I would definitely go back there again. Anything tropical like that, maybe Fiji or Bora Bora.
Best pizza topping? Pepperoni and mushroom from Cottage Inn in Ann Arbor.
Favorite movie: My Best Friend's Wedding. Julia Roberts is the best and Cameron Diaz cracks me up in it. I can pretty cuh quote that movie.
Celebrity crush? I would say George Clooney and Denzel Washington.
What coach would you choose to partner up with in the Hunger Games? Alyssa [O'Donnell] hands down. We always have fun no matter what we are doing. It would end in laughing.
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