This week we Take Five with the multitalented Shannon Bruno. Name: Shannon Alyssa Bruno Age: 15 School affiliation:WMHS Sophomore Sport/Activity (ies): Track, Swim team, WMHS Musical 1) How did you become a member of the Awosting Indians? My town has had the swim team for a while, I joined last year. It just looked like so much fun, and it's great because I love the lake! 2) Is there any crossover in routine from swimming to track? IE, in mental preparation, physical preparation? Yes! Physically, stretching is the most important thing to do before and after both swimming and track. Mentally, it's essential to have a positive attitude. I never get in the water or step on the track in a bad mood, it really effects your performance! Confidence is key in both sports. 3) What is your favorite movie? Walk The Line, I love Johnny Cash! 4) How did you get involved in the musical THE BOYFRIEND? I've been doing musical theater my whole life, and I always went to see the high school musicals. I'd always say to my mom "In a couple years that'll be me up there!" I was so happy to make it in! 5) What is your favorite food? I eat pretty much everything, it's relatively scary. Bonus Five 1) Do you have any pregame rituals or warm-ups? Yes, actually! I like to get all my teammates pumped, so, I sing to them! It gets everyone in a good mood and ready to race! I also drink a lot of water, I get so nervous! 2) Share a favorite moment with one of your teams OFF the field...pool...stage... I have a lot, but this one is my favorite! So, our school does something called Highlander Day, where kids can make teams and compete in games and such. My team was a bunch of friends from track and we were all psyched because there was a running race! It turns out, it was a six legged race. We were all tied together...we ended up with twisted ankles and faces full of dirt. But, it was awesome because we had so much fun! 3) Describe your support system? My support system is most definately my teammates, and friends. There's always someone with an ear to listen or a shoulder to lean on. There's a point where winning doesn't matter and you all realize you're here to do your best, and to have fun. I'm especially supported by my friend Leslie, who does track and swims with me. She convinced me to do track, and taught me everything I know about running, and swimming. 4) Who is your biggest inspiration? In some cases, inspiration can be found in everyone. You can always admire someone for who they are and what they do. But, for me, my biggest inspiration is my little sister. She's always supported all my activities, given me criticism, and compliments. She's the most determined person I know, and she's an amazing dancer. She's taught me to have incredible confidence, just like she does when dancing. Seeing her compete and do what she loves drives me to push even harder...and not just so I can beat her! 5) Do all of these activities compliment one another, or do you find it hard to juggle it all? They definately compliment each other. I've learned so much from them. They're different, and take different strengths. They're similar because they teach you to work with people, you can't win championships without your teammates, and you can't put on a musical by yourself! You have to love what you're doing, it's a lot of commitment. Running keeps me in shape for swimming, and swimming keeps me in shape for running. The musical is a nice physical break though. CAUTION: Only the coolest people are involved in a West Milford Take Five. Please do to nominate yourself or a loved one unless they are profoundly interesting or made of awesome. Those who meet these exacting criteria can submit their nominees to webmaster@strausnews.com. We are looking for anyone from elementary school through college, and you can even nominate yourself.