Between early morning swim practices and long school days, Cathedral Prep senior Brianne Ryan has excelled in learning how to balance a busy schedule.

She works hard in the pool and in the classroom, always trying to give her best in both places. Brianne’s main focus is school over sports because it has a bigger effect on her future. She knows that what she learns now will matter long after high school.

“School is definitely more difficult than sports,” Brianne said. “It matters more for the rest of your life, and it determines your future.”

Even with a busy schedule, Brianne earns mostly A’s with the occasional B. She says it’s not too hard to balance swimming and school because her teachers help her when she misses class for meets.

“I’m lucky that I don’t get a ton of homework,” she said. “Even when I miss class for meets, my teachers are really understanding. Mr. Payne and Mrs. Froehlich have always given me a flexible workload.”

Though she values school over sports, Brianne is still very passionate about swimming and works very hard to achieve her athletic goals. Swimming takes a lot of effort, especially during the toughest part of the season. Brianne says the most difficult time is “Hell Week” over Christmas break.

“We have two practices a day, plus lifting, and sometimes we swim fully clothed for resistance,” Brianne said. “It’s all about endurance and pushing through.”

Even though training is hard, Brianne loves being part of her team. Traveling to meets and spending time with friends are some of her favorite memories.

“The Viking Invitational in Cleveland is always fun,” she said. “It’s great competition and great memories.”

Looking ahead to her future, Brianne hopes to study international affairs and maybe work for the CIA one day.

“I want to get my master’s in applied intelligence” she said. “Collecting information and putting the big picture together really fascinates me.”