Ava Bradshaw '24 Recruiting Profile

Growing up around the water, the first thing my parents wanted me to learn how to do was swim. My sister and I took lessons at the YMCA for several years, to the point where the lessons consisted of us just swimming laps. I had never considered swimming, my dad, who swam for Tufts University, never pushed the sport on us. It was not until we joined a local pool club and tried the summer league there. Since then, I have never looked back. Unlike other sports, I like going to swim, although its grueling and hard, I can´t help but love it. The friendships that I have made in and out of the pool, will last a lifetime. But swimming is not the only thing on my mind, school takes up the other half of my day. Over the years, finding the balance between a good swimmer and a good student has been hard, but if anything my school has only improved as an athlete. Once I got to high school, the swim team there was one of the best teams and experiences I have ever had. I loved being a part of such a successful team and still having fun. But, swim and school are not always fun, but never once have I thrown in the towel. I will push myself to the absolute limits in everything that I do, this I believe is my greatest strength.  As my coach always says at the end of practice, ¨To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.¨