Ashleen O'Brien '19 Recruiting Profile

I have been swimming on some form of a swim team since I was 3 years old: recreational, year-round and high school varsity. My three older sisters either swam or plan to swim on college level teams. It seems as though swimming is part of our DNA. While I have been able to train hard and post some fairly fast times, speed is not the primary reason that I compete. I love to be part of a team. I cheer for my teammates and friends just as hard as I race. I find that I can feed off of their successes and learn from their struggles.

I come from a large family with five children. We learned to support each other in both our triumphs and our occasional failures. Sharing is a natural part of our household whether it be space, belongings, or attention. It is important for us to give back to the community so I have participated in mission trips to build homes in Mexico, offered swim lessons to inner city children and worked with young kids in the recreation area of church camp. 

While looking for a part time job, I realized that I like to spend time near water so I trained as  lifeguard. It's a part time job that seems to fit between my practice schedule and school. I also take American Sign Language classes at the local community college because I find it a fascinating way to communicate.