For the past 9 years, 15 years old sophomore Ransom Reback has been a competitive swimmer. Ransom is a student at The King’s Academy, one of fifteen ambassadors for the gold star family charity, Believe With Me. In nearly a decade, Ransom has swam for two additional teams outside of Kings such as NPB (North Palm Beach Swim Team) and the PBG Makos. Ransom was also a member of TKA wrestling team his freshmen year.

Currently Ransom Reback is swimming at The King’s Academy where he swims the 100 breastroke and 100 freestyle. Ransom has an intense training schedule that involves early morning practices followed by afternoon practices the same day in addition to his own training he does to stay in shape such as drylands and resistance band work. “My favorite thing about the sport is that it is an individual sport.” Ransom shared with me at the start of the interview. “It’s your own responsibility to make yourself better. I do hate though how much self discipline it requires and when it gets boring.” But the past nine years have not come without trails.

“I struggle with tendinitis in both shoulders,” Ransom informed me, “and tore my right labrum almost in half.” “Tendinitis is when a tendon becomes inflamed and causes pain, swelling, and a limited range of motion,” Dr. Z a physical therapist at Elite Therapy in Jupiter Florida explained to me. “The labrum lines the shoulder socket,” Dr. Z enlightened me. Ransom reflected on the time he was injured and expressed his thankfulness to his family and friends who helped him through that difficult time.

Ransom is not sure if he will swim in college but voiced that if he did, he would hope to swim at the University of Florida on the Gator Club team. But Ransom noted that he was focused on the present and achieving his own goals for this years high school season. “I want to break 1 minute in the 100br and break 50 seconds in the 100fr,” Ransom stated. For Ransom goals are also one of his key motivators as a young man who hopes to at the 2028 Olympic trails. He also looks back on one of his favorite memories of swimming at a Districts meet when he won his heat of the boys 200 IM in 2023 as another form of motivation. “Like any sport swimming is not easy but for anyone who might be struggling I would want them to know that if you keep working hard and stick to it success will come to you. Don’t try to face struggles alone look to your parents and the lord. No matter the outcome just know that you have people around you who love and support you.”