How did you get into swimming?

Actually, I’ve played basketball my whole life since like third grade. When I joined the swim team, I had two ankle surgeries on each ankle, so the previous year was my freshman year. I couldn’t go back and play basketball, so I took a break, rested up. Then, my dad was a college roommate with the coach, and he asked me to manage the swim team. When I got my boot off of my foot, he was like, “Why don’t you try to get in the pool and swim?” So, I swam one practice, and then I did it the following day and kept going. Next thing, I was swimming 50 free in a meet, and it just kept going. Now, I swim four events.

What is your favorite thing about swimming?

It’s the team for sure; I’ve never been a part of a team where everyone gets along so well. We sometimes do have our disagreements, but we are together all the time from 3:50 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. every night. Then we all go into the locker rooms, and some nights we are upset, but that’s because we had a bad practice. I like how we all kind of share it together, and then the coaches are just really great; they always push us to be better.

What is the hardest thing about swimming? 

It’s a lot; it’s a long season, and the practices are from 3:30 to 6:30, basically, and on top of that, you have homework and everything; it’s a lot to keep track of. There are only eight girls swimming right now because most of them are already injured because it’s so hard on our bodies. I’ve had pain in all different muscles of my body; I didn’t even know I had it, but you just have to push through it.

What are some things you’ve learned in swimming?

I learned how to not plug my nose and that the caps don’t keep your hair from getting wet. But, on top of that, I also learned that you just have to push it through it because you’re in the pool; it’s not like you’re on a court where a coach can yell at you. Your heads in the water, so you can’t always hear right away. I’ve struggled my whole life with pushing myself through. I am my biggest enemy for sure, and swimming has helped me overcome that.

Would you recommend swim?

For sure, you may be like why would you want to do that you’re just swimming up and down over and over again because the ups and down we do at practice is crazy, but at the end of the day, it is fun and really good for your body.