INTRODUCTION: Victoria (Torrie) Welch came to the River Campus as a Biology major, but changed her focus to Psychology because she felt it would make her a better doctor. That goes hand in hand with her role on the women's soccer team as a defender in a system she refers to as "organized chaos".
How young were you when you started to play soccer?
I started playing at the age of 4.
How did you become involved with it?
I started out playing for park district teams with all of my friends but when I really got into it as I got older I joined the local club team around age 8.
How old were you when you began to drift to the defensive end of the field as a player?
I actually spent most of my career as a holding mid (midfielder) and it wasn't until my freshman year of high school that my coach started training me to be a center back.
What led to that decision?
He felt that I was a true center back rather than a center mid and we both thought that my extensive experience as a center mid would make me an even better center back. My biggest attributes as a player are my leadership capabilities and my vision of the field and both of those things are integral to being a good center back so it seemed like the best fit for me.
What do you like about playing on defense? Is most of it reacting to what the opponents are doing?
I love the organized chaos of defense. It is always very hectic but everyone in the back line knows their role and in that way it's very structured and organized. I also love that defense is just as much a mind game as it is a physical game. It demands constant thinking and organization and I love that challenge.
You were a four-year captain with your club team, FC United DC. Where did the club team travel for tournaments?
We travelled all over! I started playing for FCU in 6th grade so I've been all over the country for soccer. Some examples are Disney World, Arizona, North Carolina, all over the Midwest, Washington DC, etc.
How big is soccer in the Chicagoland area?
Girls soccer is huge in Chicago! It is super competitive and there are a lot of very talented women's soccer players coming out of Chicago.
Coaches often talk about the adjustments players have to make, coming from a high school team to college. What adjustments did you have to make, coming from Glenbrook North HS?
The pace of play is definitely a little quicker and girls are stronger and faster in college than they are in high school. I shifted a lot of my training towards strength and quickness through lifting which helped me become strong enough to excel at the college level.
The penalty area can sometimes get pretty crowded, between attacking players and defenders trying to make sure everyone is marked. Is a crowded area a benefit for the offense or the defense?
I think it depends on the situation, but overall I would say it helps the defense because it makes it a lot harder to score when it's crowded.
When you are home, do you plan to work with any youth programs – coaching, counseling, working behind the scenes, etc.? What do you like about doing that?
I love working with kids and spent a few summers as a sports camp counselor. It's cool to be able to share my passion for soccer with them and watch them develop as players!
When did the first contact come from the University of Rochester?
I had a very abnormal recruiting process, so my first contact with Coach Sike (Dardaganis) wasn't until the winter of my senior year after my mom met him at one of my sister's games at Disney World.
What convinced you to attend?
After visiting, I knew Rochester was the right place for me. I was so impressed by the team culture, the players, and the staff and I knew it was a program I wanted to be a part of! Also, there are so many opportunities at U of R for pre-med students so that was another huge reason I decided to come here.
You changed your major from Biology to Psychology. What happened?
What interested me in that is just how applicable psych is in our world today, especially for healthcare workers. Psych will help me understand people better which will hopefully make me a better doctor to my patients someday! I'm also just super interested in psychology in general and it is a nice change of pace from all the hard sciences classes I have to take for med school.
Have you worked with any campus groups tied to your studies?
Yes, I am involved in a lot of research! I work in a research lab on campus where we study child cognitive development. In addition, I work in another research lab in the medical center where we study preventative care for childhood asthma. I am also a part of a program called EDRA where I work shifts in the ER and try to enroll patients in various research studies. I feel so lucky to have so many opportunities in research here and it has definitely enhanced my knowledge in medical research along with research in general.
