Being a Colegial is chaotic. It’s stressful to be able to keep up with the famous “sangre verde” but when all the sacrifices we make as students and individuals pays off, there’s nothing better than to scream “COLEGIO, TU PAPÁ!” Now imagine being able to be an athlete, to form part of the National Water Polo team AND being a colegial. Let me introduce you to the perfect example of this… Meet Claudia Ramos, silver medalist in Veracruz 2014.
At what age did you began to practice Water Polo? Why?
I started playing when I was nine years old, my sister was on a team and my dad signed me up. Although I never saw myself in this sport, I always imagined myself in swimming. I loved t it since the first day so I kept going- next thing I knew, I was 12 and playing on the national team.
What do you like the most about this sport?
I love the fact that it’s a team sport. The people in your team become your family. Like they say, “The best thing you can take from Water Polo is the friendships you make and the people you meet.”
Is there anything from Water Polo that you can apply to life? If so, what?
How well you have to work under pressure would be one of the most important lessons. There are a LOT of things to think of when playing; the clock, your opponent, your coach, your teammates and all that sort of builds up and forms pressure. The fact that you can work through it all is something that can be applied to everyday stresses.
Tell us about your experience of being able to compete in Los Juegos Centroamericanos in Veracruz
The experience was awesome. I’ve had a lot of great experiences thanks to water polo but I got to say, this was something different. I met a lot of athletes from the island, people on the streets would stop you and ask for pictures and little kids even asked you for autographs. People didn’t even know what sport you played but the excitement of the game was super evident.
How does it feel to have all the love and support from Puerto Rico and the UPRM community?
It was awesome, sadly people don’t really know about this sport and I didn’t think it would generate interest but people didn’t hesitate. They saw the news, the tweets and they didn’t hesitate to show their support. I was really surprised but in a good way. I’m really thankful for it. Even the twitter account from UPRM Sports congratulated me, it’s awesome. Honestly, I never expected it.
How does it feels to be a silver medalist in a Central American Games and give a lot of glory and pride to our country?
It really feels great. We wanted to do more; we wanted that gold medal for our country and we fought for it but we didn’t get there. Still, it’s a big accomplishment and I won’t ever take it for granted. This feels surreal.
What are your thoughts on representing our island?
Representing Puerto Rico is a unique feeling. It’s a sense of pride and at the same time is a feeling of accomplishment. All these years of practices and so many ups and downs always seems worth it with each new accomplishment and competition I get to put Puerto Rico’s name up high. I know of so many athletes who would give anything to represent their country that I’m so grateful for the fact that with hard work and passion I get to do what I love.