Apr 26, 2007

Athlete of the Week: Pratt's passion unrivaled

Burlingame junior swimmer striving to become the best

By Vytas Mazeika / Daily News Staff Writer

She touched the wall, her coach clicked the stopwatch, and just like that, Victoria Pratt's swimming career found a sense of direction.

"I think it was when I was 11 or something and I got a good time," Pratt said. "My coach, who wasn't Chris at the time, said, 'You're a breaststroker.' So I've been a breaststroker ever since you could say."

Within a couple of years Chris Culp came into the picture, becoming Pratt's swimming coach at Burlingame Aquatic Club and eventually at Burlingame High.

"At the beginning it was my dad who taught me how to swim," said Pratt, the Daily News Athlete of the Week. "Once Chris joined the club, he's really made me love sport. He just makes me want to come to practice."

"That's not going to get you anything," Culp said after hearing about the comment.

Pratt, a junior, isn't in search of any favors. She wants to spend as much time as possible in the pool working on becoming a stronger swimmer.

"This team is made up of quite a few talented athletes all around, but Victoria, from the time I started coaching her, she's a coach's dream," said Culp, the varsity coach for the Panthers. "She's here every single day that she can be. She does exactly what you ask of her. She's one of those kids that is the first one in the water, the last one to leave. Very, very determined to do well. As a coach, you don't get athletes like that very often.

"She's the whole package," Culp added. "Quite to where it makes me nervous sometimes. I better do the right things, because she is."

Things clicked for Pratt last spring in the Central Coast Section championships. The 5-foot-8 breaststroker also swims the 200 individual medley, where she finished an encouraging 12th. But it was her second-place showing in the 100 breast as a sophomore that caught the attention of those around the swimming community.

"I had no idea that I could ever, ever do that," said Pratt, who finished more than two seconds ahead of third place. "It was a huge surprise."

And the success has only made her hungrier, enforcing both her confidence and determination.

"She's starting to realize how talented she is," Culp said.

Just because she's more intense in the pool, doesn't mean she's changed outside of it.

Here's two examples ...

First, there's water polo. The one break Pratt gets from swimming year-round is water polo season with the Panthers. The soft-spoken Pratt plays one of the more demanding positions as a 2-meter defender.

"It's definitely kind of Jekyll and Hyde," Pratt said. "I'm nice on deck, and once you jostle me around, I can be very aggressive."

Secondly, there's her sister. The 17-year-old Victoria is joined this year by 14-year-old Audrey, a freshman who swims everything but the breaststroke. That's not the only way they differ, as the sisters are polar opposites when it comes to personality.

"She's not out there around doing cartwheels," Culp said of Victoria. "She's calm and collected, but she's very competitive."

Meanwhile, the younger sister can be relentless.

"She's just an oddball," Victoria said of Audrey. "She's everywhere. Her energy is off the wall. She has way more energy than I do."

That energy can be productive when properly channeled.

"When she's swimming, I'm usually cheering," Audrey said. "It's really fun to see her swim. Just to watch her, it's amazing how she can move through the water."

The whole cheering thing is not limited to the sisters, as the high school swimming scene does offer one advantage over the individualized club atmosphere.

"In club you don't know who everyone is, but in high school you do," Victoria said. "There's just more spirit in a high school team, so I think that's why everyone improves in the high school season. Everyone is supportive."

The Panthers will do everything they can to push one another today against Menlo School, as Burlingame hosts its final home swim meet of the season. Soon thereafter come the PAL trials and finals, quickly followed by CCS.

Don't expect to see much of Pratt outside of the pool, because she has to get ready for her first CCS crown.

"I spend so much time in the pool," said Pratt, who does have other interests. "I like to sleep a lot. Food is awesome. I like to read and I also like to bake. I use my family as guinea pigs for any cupcakes."

"She's a great kid and it's a bonus that she happens to be a very talented swimmer," Culp said. "She's got a great future ahead of her."


E-mail Vytas Mazeika at vytas@dailynewsgroup.com.

VITALS

Name: Victoria Pratt

School: Burlingame

Class: Junior

Spot: Swimming

Favorite TV show: Friends

Favorite subject: Architectural design

Favorite teacher: Mr. Skrable

Favorite type of music: Rock 'n' roll

Favorite food: Sushi

Dream job: Designer