Sophomore men’s water polo student-athlete Clayton Snyder (Seal Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos HS) is a man of many talents. Not only does he have the fourth-highest scoring total on his team this season, he also has had a successful acting career as Ethan Kraft in the Lizzie McGuire movie and television series. Snyder, who is the first in his family to pursue acting and is also the first collegiate athlete, said he was always interested in many different things as a child. His acting career started with community theatre and his water polo career started on a youth swim team.

 

Q: How did you go from a youth swim team to water polo?

 

A: “Being on the swim team just led to playing water polo. I played for several clubs and for my high school.”

 

Q: How did you pursue acting and play water polo at the same time?

 

A: “Most of the time I could balance it. My freshman year in high school I had to give up water polo because I was working on the Lizzie McGuire series.”

 

Q: Was that difficult not to play your first year in high school?

 

A: “It was hard not being able to help my team and not being a part of the whole season.”

 

Q: Was there a point when you had to make a choice between acting and water polo?

 

A: “After freshman year I felt like I really wanted to commit to water polo. My heart wasn’t really into acting. Acting doesn’t help you get into college, but water polo does.”

 

Q: You were a highly recruited athlete. What made you choose Pepperdine?

 

A: “I picked Pepperdine because it’s a top academic school and I really like the water polo coaches and the program.”

 

Q: Your father graduated from UCLA. Was that one of the schools that was recruiting you?

 

A: “It was and I thought I would go there ... until I came here. I’m sure my father was a little disappointed, but he was always very supportive of my decision.”

 

Q: Are you still happy with your choice?

 

A: “Yes, I love it here. Our team all gets along really well and it’s easy to network at a small school. There’s a lot of thing to do on this campus – great plays, musicals and guitarists.”

 

Q: What do you feel is the reason for your team being so close?

 

A: “I think we just work well as a team and there are no conflicts. Everyone fits in. Coach Kocur provides great leadership and we all respect him. He has a very mature outlook in that water polo isn’t life. He cares about our well-being outside of the pool. I’ve never had a coach as accessible as he is when it comes to advice.”

 

Q: What are your plans for the summer?

 

A: “I always keep everything open until I know what’s happening with water polo. The team might go to Puerto Rico this summer.”