Brianna Kramer is a senior at Elkhart Memorial who has been swimming for all four years, putting in countless hours of training. Despite injuries, Kramer was able to set a personal best this season.

GENESIS: What is it like being an athlete all four years of high school?

BRIANNA KRAMER: “Being an athlete all four years of high school has not been a bad experience for me. In fact, I wish I had done more than just one sport. The reason why I didn’t was because I was paying for my own athletic fees and uniforms, so I could only afford one sport in my financial position.”

G: How do you maintain your grades along with the long after school practices?

BK: “Keeping my grades up is not a difficult thing for me to do. I don’t procrastinate and I start my assignments immediately after they’re assigned to me.”

G: What does a normal night look like for you?

BK: “A normal night for me is going to swim from 3:30-5:30 (sometimes I leave a little early to be at work at 5:30-10), then I go home and do an activation workout to prevent any further shoulder injuries. After that, I help my dad cook dinner and I get started on any schoolwork I did not complete during the day.”

G: What got you started in swimming?

BK: “I used to swim at the old YMCA when I was younger, and I remember being decent at it. My sister told me that I should join the swim team. I went to the first practice and the rest is history.”

G: Speaking of the old YMCA, how do you like the new Aquatics Center?

BK: “The new Aquatic Center is very nice, and we feel privileged to use the facility. It is disappointing not to have our own weight room to do dry land, or our own space with school colors and an area to decorate, but that is something we can look past.”

G: Do you ever get discouraged? If so, how do you overcome it?

BK: “Yes, I do often become discouraged. I find myself getting irritated with how often my body gets beat up and injuries happen, or how those injuries affect my training which hinder my meet performance. I have to step back and realize that I’m putting my body through so much, and stressing over it is not going to make it any easier. I have to heed the advice my doctors and coaches give me, in order to heal quickly and correctly, and resume regular training as soon as possible.”

G: How has your season been this year?

BK: “My season this year has not been great, since I have dealt with recurring injuries all season. This was the first year that I did club swimming throughout the summer, and I dropped a lot of time, so I was expecting the same results during high school season. This was not the case though, and I ended up with another shoulder injury in the first month. Right before NLC’s, I popped my hip out and went to the chiropractor for x-rays and an alignment. I figured out I have mild scoliosis which was a cause of my shoulder problem, and that my pelvic bones are tilted, which was causing my hip problems. I swam NLC prelims with a misaligned hip and made it to finals, and Saturday finals was my highlight of the season. With my hip readjusted, I swam and got personal bests for the season in both of my events. Now on to sectionals…”

G: Is there anything else you’d like me to know?

BK: “Don’t be afraid of commitment or hard work. You will be nothing but proud of your results if you give 100% and encourage others.”