Being a doctor is hard work. But Dr. Amy Oberhelman is no stranger to hard work.

Once she discovered her passion for swimming as a 10-year-old, the Manhattan native dove in with abandon, putting in two workouts a day, six days a week. That had work paid off with eight Kansas high school gold medals, six state records, and recognition as an All-American. It continued to pay off with a scholarship to Stanford. And it led her to medical school and a career as a radiologist.

"Swimming takes a lot of time, and there are a lot of sacrifices you have to make along the way," Oberhelman said. "I think that developed my work ethic and my ability to dedicate myself to something. It helped my focus.

"I think I always knew I wanted to be a physician. It's obviously a career path that takes a lot of time. To become a doctor, you have to have the mental focus to stay sharp and to push forward. Same with athletes."

Oberhelman was enshrined in the KSHSAA Hall of Fame in 2012 as one of the greatest swimmers in Kansas history. Her accomplishments earned her 13 All-American honors during her career at Manhattan High School from 1990 to 1994.

After showing some natural skills in her grandmother's pool, Oberhelman graduated to club swimming as a 10-year-old. By the time she was old enough to join the Manhattan High team, she had already developed a remarkable work ethic.

"I tried other sports and wasn't as inspired by them," Oberhelman said. "When I started swimming, I immediately took to it. I think the fact that I excelled at it early was what inspired me to continue, because it does take a lot of time – more than my parents realized initially that it would take. I was the kid who would wake up my mom to take me to practice at 6 a.m."

Oberhelman is thankful the coaches of her club and high school teams, which shared the Kansas State University Natatorium, worked well together. She transitioned smoothly from club to high school and enjoyed representing Manhattan High.

"A lot of my training in club was done alone," Oberhelman said. "Once in high school I enjoyed being a part of a team and doing the relays and things that go with being on a team. I had camaraderie and teammates to support me. When you win, you win as a group.

"Having been so involved in club, (joining the high school team) made me feel needed. I was part of something bigger than myself. I really thrived knowing that my contribution was important. It helped me learn to work with people and to understand each others' strengths and weaknesses, to encourage each other."

Coached at Manhattan High by Mike Dillon, Oberhelman excelled in the pool, and learned life lessons from the team.

"Some of my most memorable teammates were the ones who might not have had the most natural ability, but who worked their tails off to be the best they could be," Oberhelman said. "They were the ones I had the most respect for. That was more important to me than the teammates who set a record or won some award. Without being a part of a team, I wouldn't have recognized that.

"That prepared me for the work and discipline that would be required once I got to college. It changed me for the better."

At Stanford, Oberhelman was the 1995 Pac 10 (now Pac 12) champion in the 1,650 freestyle and was a member of the 1996 800 freestyle relay winning team. She was a three-time All-American on Stanford teams that won three consecutive national championships. She earned an invitation to the 1996 Olympic trials. Of all her accomplishments, Obehelman is particularly proud to have served as team captain her senior year.

"At Stanford, you didn't just look at as a season. It was a four-year cycle," Oberhelman said. "You are going to work today for the result you want to get four years down the line. That helped me with that long-term vision that is required to become a doctor. The idea that all this work I'm going to put in today will pay off later on."

After four years of medical school, five years of residency and a year of internship, Oberhelman had become a specialist in brain and spine diagnostic imaging.

Oberhelman is quick to point out that she wouldn't be where she is today without the help of coaches and the encouragement of teammates along the way. She also recognizes that many girls didn't have the opportunities she had.

"I think about it a lot – the doors that were opened that otherwise wouldn't have been there for me," Oberhelman said. "Bettering myself as an athlete also bettered me as a person, as a student.
"It's also helped me as a mom. It taught me patience. It taught me that everyone is different, that we all have our strengths and weaknesses. And how to lead by example. Those are things that I might not have known had it not been for my time as an athlete."

KSHSAA state championships in swimming were inaugurated shortly after Title IX took effect in 1972. Oberhelman knows of one woman in particular who would have liked to have had the opportunities Title IX ensured.

"To know how it shaped my life, it's a shame that there were girls before me who didn't get that," Oberhelman said. "My grandmother, for instance. She was a sports fanatic. She loved every sport. I remember her saying that they didn't have (sports) for her. She always said that she wished that she could have done those things.

"Hearing her tell those stories really made me appreciate the things that I didn't have to think twice about. When I came along, there was no question that I could compete in just about any sport I wanted.

"I don't know where I would be had I not had competitive sports as a girl. I know my path would have been different."
 
We are grateful to partner with WIN for KC, an organization with the mission to empower the lives of girls and women by advocating and promoting the lifetime value of sports through opportunities for participation and leadership development. WIN for KC and the KSHSAA believe involvement in activities and sports lay the ground work for supporting well-rounded citizens in our communities and beyond. For more on WIN for KC visit: https://www.sportkc.org/win-for-kc