Ana Peralta Rolka '21 Recruiting Profile

My name is Ana Peralta. I am a senior at Oak Mountain Academy, in Carrollton, GA., and I swim for the Douglas County Stingrays. We swim at a facility about 20 miles from Carrollton. Almost every day of the week, I wake up at 4 am, get ready, and drive 30 minutes to and from practice. I return to Carrollton around 7:30am, just in time to eat a quick breakfast and leave for school, which starts around 8am. After school, I drive this distance again for afternoon practice, and return home around 9pm. This schedule is a testament of my commitment to swimming, and reflects my work ethic and diligence. In addition to this challenging swim schedule, I have maintained a rigorous class load throughout high school that includes taking all AP’s and honors courses. I am proud to report that I have earned all A’s and B’s in the past three years, and that I currently have a 3.8/4.0 GPA. I am writing this personal statement during the coronavirus pandemic quarantine, which besides making me stir crazy because I can’t swim, go to school, or socialize with friends, I have been able to focus on some of the most important aspects of my life, my family and our health. Several weeks in lockdown has taught me as much about motivation as the past seven years of swimming alone. During this time, my coach has provided us with weekly dryland sets. While I miss my teammates, I enjoy doing these exercises because they will help me stay in shape and prepare me for the upcoming seasons. The last seven years of swimming and the difficulty of this pandemic have taught me to never give up on my goals, and that to get somewhere, you have to work 10x harder than everyone else. This is what I will bring to the table as a 2021 recruit, commitment, discipline, diligence, and most importantly, a passion for swimming and learning, especially psychology.