Scranton Prep freshman Ryleigh Collins broke two individual records in the Les Richards Championships on Saturday, in the 200-yard freestyle and the 500 free, and helped Prep set two relay records in 200 medley and 400 free.
Age: 14
Family: Father, Andy; mother, Tara; sister, Andie
Athletes you admire? I look up to a lot of people on my swim team, Lauren Schofield and Haley Thier. They were so nice to me when I joined the team, and a girl I swim with on my club team, Kara Campbell who swims for Wallenpaupack.
Any sports teams you follow? I follow the USA swim team.
Give me a skill you’d like to master away from sports. I started learning Latin this year as a freshman. I really enjoy that, so I’d like to get good at that.
Pre-meet rituals or superstitions? No, I usually try to take everything as it comes so I’m not stuck in a specific routine. Whatever happens, happens.
How did you get started in swimming? I think I was 6½ and it was my summer community team before we moved over here. We lived in Hemlock Farms. It stuck with me and I had a really great coach and he taught me everything I know now.
Are you surprised to be setting records with districts still a few weeks away, and that’s obviously one of the things you point toward? I was really surprised. I didn’t expect for any of this to happen. When it did, it kind of put a positive outlook on what was supposed to happen. It’s a good feeling that everything you’re training for is OK.
Did you have a feeling in the water that it was going really well? I kind of think about a lot. I have to make sure I do this, this and this. I have to tell myself I’ve been training for this and it feels good and I feel fast. I have to make sure I feel like that so I’m sure I’m going to do it.
Was this your biggest thrill you’ve had in sports? There’ve been a few others. Last year I was in this big swim meet (Junior Olympics) and I won the 50 free there, and that was like a really big deal. But this was a big deal to know I broke a record from someone who was such a great swimmer when she was younger.
How many miles do you swim in training every day? It depends where we are. If we are coming up to a really big meet and it’s a few weeks before and we’re at the peak of our training, it’s 2½ or 3 miles. When we come down a little, it’s usually 1 mile.
Do you think the training helps with other aspects of your life? There are really hard sets where I’m like, ‘I don’t know if I can make it through.’ Afterward, seeing you can do it, it pushes you to do other things in life. It’s really important.
What aspirations do you have for districts? I want to do well in districts and I want to get to states. I want to help everyone and make sure no one is feeling too stressed, because when you are stressed, you don’t perform as well. Helping everyone relax is important.
Speaking of which, who’s your funniest teammate? Oooh, I know whenever I want to laugh with someone, Olivia Turner, she is always someone I’ll go to. Erica Prushinski is always happy so they are two good people to go to.
Who cooks in your house, and what is one dish that you can’t live without? My mom cooks and she makes really good spaghetti and I always eat that before my races.
Meat sauce? Usually meat sauce.
Parmesan cheese? It depends.
Garlic bread? No.
I know you’re just a freshman, but do you have any future goals, what you’d like to do after high school? I think if I had the opportunity to, I’d like to swim in college just to experience everything. I haven’t really thought about any specific schools or jobs. It’s all just kind of open right now.
Marty Myers began his career as a sports writer at The Wayne Independent in Honesdale, where he served as sports editor and later managing editor. After 10 years there, he joined The Times-Tribune in 1994 and has spent the ensuing years reporting on high school sports, local and professional golf. An award-winning journalist, he also enjoys his duties as a copy editor for The Times-Tribune, editing stories and designing pages. A native of Williamsport, Marty resides in Clarks Summit. Reach him at mmyers@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9100 x5437 or @mmyersTT.