Mason Gonzalez

North Allegheny

The past week: Gonzalez won two gold medals in individual events (50- and 100-yard freestyle) and two other golds on relay teams at the PIAA swimming championships at Bucknell University.

Check this out: Gonzalez, a junior, is a premier swimmer for one of the best high school programs in Pennsylvania. He holds school records in the 50 and 100 freestyle. As a sophomore, he also won WPIAL gold medals in the 200 and 100 freestyle. This year, North Allegheny won the PIAA team championship, and Gonzalez swam on the relays with his brother, Max, a senior. Mason is being recruited by Division I colleges.

 So, have you and your brother been splashing around in bathtubs and pools since you were toddlers? I was about 7 years old and my dad used to be the general manager of Wildwood Country Club. We’d spend a lot of days there hanging out at the pool and we swam there. A lot of kids do that when they’re younger, but we both fell in love with swimming and that led us to where we are today.

 Was a PIAA championship the No. 1 goal this year? I know for the team, as soon as the state meet was over last year, we didn’t win and the whole team was on the deck and said, ‘Let’s just put our minds on the 2017 state meet right now because we’re going to win it.’ Every practice in the morning at 5:30 this year, we just thought about the state meet. We finally did it and it’s amazing.

 Do you mind that a lot of people refer to North Allegheny as ‘The U?’ ” It’s good and bad. It shows we are a prestigious school and that’s good. It might come off a little cocky to some, but I don’t think a title like that should define the school or the team. But I guess we are who we are.

 Tell me the worst part about being a swimmer? I have to say the 5:30 practices in the morning. Sometimes I get up at 4:50. That’s a lot, and then you have to go and push yourself.

 What does Mason Gonzalez do for fun? Well, myself and some other swimmers give swim lessons to disabled children every Saturday. It’s very empowering to see some of them just get used to the water and see them just having some fun.

 People might be surprised to know … I like to read. I read a lot of books. I don’t know if people would think a hard-core swimmer would read a lot.