Olympian Hoff embraces college life at Loyola
Dave Lomonico
Issue date: 10/7/08 Section: Sports
Katie Hoff is loving life right now. The rigorous training for Beijing, where she became more acclimated with water than a fish, is finally behind her. The early-morning wake-up calls, the strict diet, the rigid regimen and the public appearances have briefly been placed on the backburner. And the media pressure, the questions, the competition, the stress - well, she won't get that again until London in 2012.
Yes, Katie Hoff, she of three Olympic medals, is finding out it's pretty cool to be a normal 19-year-old college student at Loyola. At least for a little while.
"It's been nice to hang out with friends and stay up late again," Hoff said. "I'm getting back into swimming practice, but I've had some time off which has been great."
Professional athletes rarely blend in with their peers, and it's particularly difficult when your face has recently been plastered all over ESPN and NBC. But Hoff has been out and about the Evergreen campus just like any other Loyola student. Granted, she's only a part-time student taking one class, but she says there's been no gawking or excessive hero worship.
"I get recognized, but usually it's just a 'good job,' not hysteria," Hoff said. "This is how I expected it to be - to be treated normally. I don't want people to talk about swimming. I just want to talk to people like a normal person, discuss weekend plans and such."
While Hoff hasn't had a lot of free time to get socially acquainted, she has made several friends on the swimming team. All of them agree she's just like any other college student.
"She's completely normal," swimmer Stephanie Falcone said. "Being with her is like being with anyone else at school."
Hoff has already given back to the H2Ounds, acting as an assistant coach to Brian Loeffler, who was instrumental in bringing the talented swimmer to Loyola. Loeffler met Hoff before she left for Beijing and suggested that when she finished she enroll at Loyola. He explained how fellow Olympian Michael Phelps had helped out the swim team in the past and that Hoff might be able to do the same thing, while also working towards a degree.
Yes, Katie Hoff, she of three Olympic medals, is finding out it's pretty cool to be a normal 19-year-old college student at Loyola. At least for a little while.
"It's been nice to hang out with friends and stay up late again," Hoff said. "I'm getting back into swimming practice, but I've had some time off which has been great."
Professional athletes rarely blend in with their peers, and it's particularly difficult when your face has recently been plastered all over ESPN and NBC. But Hoff has been out and about the Evergreen campus just like any other Loyola student. Granted, she's only a part-time student taking one class, but she says there's been no gawking or excessive hero worship.
"I get recognized, but usually it's just a 'good job,' not hysteria," Hoff said. "This is how I expected it to be - to be treated normally. I don't want people to talk about swimming. I just want to talk to people like a normal person, discuss weekend plans and such."
While Hoff hasn't had a lot of free time to get socially acquainted, she has made several friends on the swimming team. All of them agree she's just like any other college student.
"She's completely normal," swimmer Stephanie Falcone said. "Being with her is like being with anyone else at school."
Hoff has already given back to the H2Ounds, acting as an assistant coach to Brian Loeffler, who was instrumental in bringing the talented swimmer to Loyola. Loeffler met Hoff before she left for Beijing and suggested that when she finished she enroll at Loyola. He explained how fellow Olympian Michael Phelps had helped out the swim team in the past and that Hoff might be able to do the same thing, while also working towards a degree.
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