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Erin Pochman remembers her days as a Husky.
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Oct. 13, 2011
SEATTLE - The University of Washington is honoring 20 seasons of women's soccer at UW. All season, fans can log on and see special Q&A's with members of previous teams.
This week GoHuskies.com interviews Erin Pochman, who played two years at UW after transferring from the East Coast.
Gohuskies.com: Why did you decide on UW?
Erin Pochman: "I grew up in Seattle (on Mercer Island) but from high school I accepted a scholarship to the University of Hartford in Connecticut. I transferred to UW my junior year. I'd spent the summers playing pickup games at UW with Husky players and had so much fun and loved not only them, but Coach (Lesle) and the campus so much that I decided I wanted to finish out my career closer to my family."
GH: How did UW change your life?
EP: "I loved being part of the Husky family. There is nothing like being a student-athlete at the UW. The Athletic Department is first class all the way! Although, looking back I should have taken better advantage of the academic services. During my time at UW I met some of my favorite people in the whole world. Lesle and Amy are not only terrific coaches but pretty awesome people as well. A few of my teammates have remained close friends even after multiple years and multiple moves across the country. And my life was forever changed by Marisa Lyons, my friend and teammate who passed away suddenly during the summer following my senior year (her sophomore year). That devastating loss taught me how precious and unpredictable life really is and the importance of cherishing every single moment spent with friends and family. Things can change in a split second."
GH: Who is your favorite Husky soccer player (besides yourself)?
EP: "Tara Bilanski (now Erickson) is hands down the toughest and hardest-working athlete I have ever played with or against. Thankfully, I played more with her than against her. She was my teammate my junior year, an assistant coach my senior year, and is now the head coach at Oregon."
GH: What was your favorite memory of UW?
EP: "The soccer stadium was supposed to be completed by my senior season but it wasn't so we had to play our home games in Tacoma. Needless to say, we didn't get a large audience but we had fun traveling to and from in the vans in that lovely I-5 traffic! One of my favorite memories is playing in my first Alumni Game the following season because the soccer stadium was complete. It's such a beautiful field and was such an amazing experience to play on campus. I wish I'd been born a few years later so I would have been able to play more games there. And there was nothing like seeing Erin Saltzman's dad perform the "lawn mower" dance in the stands after a Husky goal and/or victory!"
GH: How did UW prepare you for where you are now?
EP: "It's funny because I used to hate conditioning and weight training in college. I hated every single running drill coaches made us do. And there were lots! I have incorporated many of those fitness drills into my own fitness regime and ironically I now love what I used to hate. Even more ironically, I'm a personal trainer who tortures my clients with those drills. Even in fitness, what goes around comes around!"
GH: What did you major in and how have you used it?
EP: "I really didn't know what I wanted to do with my life post college/soccer so I figured a business administration/marketing degree would be the best foundation for me moving forward. It was a good choice because I've tried my hand in quite a few industries since graduation but no matter how varied they've been, a good business sense was key. More specifically, having a business degree on my resume has been key. I'm still trying to develop good business sense."
GH: Where are you living now and what are you doing?
EP: "I live in Los Angeles and am a personal trainer and writer."
GH: Why is Seattle the best soccer city in the US?
EP: "Seattle has always been a Mecca of soccer support from the youth programs all the way up to the professional level. I grew up watching the Seattle Storm at the Seattle Center. I've been able to attend a few Sounders games and the attendance and energy is unreal. I feel like I'm in England watching the Premier League (not that I've been but it's how I imagine those games would be). "
GH: What is one fact that people might not know about you that you have done or that has happened to you since you left UW?
EP: "I was a teacher in a public elementary school in the projects in East Harlem (in New York City) for four years and have a masters' degree in elementary education from Hunter College."
GH: How involved are you still with the UW program?
EP: "I am ashamed to admit that my involvement has been minimal. I've tried to attend as many Alum games as I can but I haven't made the last two. Thankfully, Lesle and Amy still show me love and my mother goes to Husky home games in my absence."
GH: If you could go back to college knowing what you know now, what would you change?
EP: "I would definitely change my eating habits and my attitude and approach to off field conditioning. All you can eat pasta dishes and unlimited reaches inside the pre-meal bread basket the night before a game do not the best athlete/ performance make! I would also savor every single moment because those years went by really fast!"
GH: Are you following Hope Solo on "Dancing With The Stars?"
EP: "Of course! I've never been a fan of the show but I've recorded it so I could finish Monday Night Football but still see Hope dance. She looks incredible! The girl got mad dancing skills! Go Hope! Maybe she can include the lawn mower dance; it's a sure crowd pleaser!"
