Our North Forsyth High School’s Swim Team has many exceptional members in its ranks, and among them is Katie Schumacher, an 11^th grader, who is actively part of the swim team along with several other clubs in the school including Chamber Choir and Student Council. Along with all of her extracurriculars, she also has a school schedule compiled of five AP classes which she has been taking and keeping up her grades in, making her one of the most well rounded students here at NFHS. I was lucky enough to be able to sit down and get an interview with her to see what inspired her to start swimming and how she manages such a busy schedule.

Q: How did you originally gain interest in swimming competitively?

A: “I started swimming for my neighborhood team at age 4, and I always looked forward to it every summer. When I was 8, I realized that I had a talent and a deep love for it, so I pursued it further and joined a year round team.”

Q: How do you balance school with swim team?

A: “It is actually quite difficult, especially because I take some AP classes. I have to stay up late after practice to finish homework, but to me, swimming practice is worth it.”

Q: Have you ever thought about quitting? If so, why did you decide to stay/come back?

A: “I actually did quit for two years during middle school. During that time, I realized that I missed it incredibly, and I knew that I wanted to start swimming again. I would never stop swimming now; it is what I love to do.”

Q: When did you start swimming competitively and how old were you?

A: “I started swimming on a year round team when I was about eight years old. A lot of my friends were on the team, so I decided to join and I am extremely thankful that I did.”

Q: What inspires you?

A: “My grandfather inspires me every day to do my best in the pool. He would always cheer me on at my meets and hug me after races, but he is no longer able to. I train hard because I know that if he saw me swimming today, he would be incredibly proud.”

Q: What classes are you taking?

A: “AP Calculus AB/BC, AP Lang, AP Environmental, AP US History, Speech,  and Chamber Choir.”

Q: How would you describe your personality?

A: “I am a happy, outgoing person, and I like to think that my happiness rubs off on the people around me. I am also very diligent and competitive, which helps with my swimming.”