Sports have always been a big part of the story for Ryan Peake.
A recent graduate of Emporia High School, she was a member of the Lady Spartans' volleyball and basketball teams for four years. But she was looking for the perfect fit for spring. She tried track and field as her freshman year, but it just wasn't for her.
Then, when I was in second grade, I decided to try swimming and have been swimming ever since.
“I really had no expectations,” Peek said. “Honestly, I joined just because I wanted to try something new. I also have some teammates who play other sports and they really enjoy swimming. I decided to give it a try, hoping that it might have some effect.”
Head coach Jamie Dawson said she knows Peek's growth because her niece is in the same grade and they grew up playing sports together. She knew early on that Peak was her competition and had the potential to be a good swimmer based on her athletic experience.
“When Ryan came out, she had the build of a swimmer and we knew right away that if we trained her she would do well,” Dawson said. “She's really stepped up as a team leader as well, and if the other team isn't doing something she's supposed to be doing, she's going to be the first to jump on it, because she knows there's a big impact that comes with it.” Because I understand.”
Although Peek's primary sport was basketball, she stepped up as a team leader and quickly emerged as a top swimmer. While Dawson's basketball season is still going on, she said the conditioning from other sports helps, even when she gets into the pool weeks after her teammates.
“When girls return to the pool for the first time, there is room for growth in terms of conditioning to get back into swimming shape,” Dawson said. “But every multi-sport athlete has a base that others don't have, and that's what we've tried to represent to all our girls and boys when we swim. Ryan Thanks to the foundation she gained from other sports, she competed on day one three weeks later than the others and quickly became the fastest girl in the pool.”
Despite his late arrival, Peek sees the rapid transition from basketball to swimming as an opportunity to close out the school year with a sport he has enjoyed.
“We're going from really good to the next big thing,” Peek said. “Swimming has been great for me and I've always loved it since I started. So it's really exciting to be here after basketball and finish the year on a good note.”
One of the differences between Peek and her teammates is the innate competitive spirit that Dawson believes she was born with. It can be a double-edged sword at times, but Dawson loves seeing that in athletes because it's not something that can be taught.
“She hates to lose and she's very hard on herself. That's some of the things we have to deal with,” Dawson said. “She's going to swim a great race, but there's always elements that aren't what she wanted. As a coach, that's very pleasing because she always wants to improve. But we know the kids She also knows that you can't always be the best. She has that drive within herself, and she wants every athlete in every sport to have that. It can't be taught. It’s from.”
While pool may not be her strongest sport, Peek has excelled there and left her mark on the program. She's glad she took the challenge and she'll look back with only fond memories.
“Honestly, it was one of the best experiences of my high school career,” Peek said. “That was something that really brought me a lot of joy. It's really fun to find something else that you're good at that a lot of people at school aren't doing.”
Peek isn't sure what the future holds, but he is considering attending Kansas State University in the fall. But no matter what happens, Dawson is confident he will succeed.
“Ryan will be successful in whatever he decides to do in life,” Dawson said. “She is very motivated and works hard at her job. She is a child who always wants to do more and she innately knows what she has to work on and that will help her in the future. It will be a positive thing for us.”
