Butler's Laura Goettler gets her first palce medal in the girls 200 yard IM in the AAA WPIAL Swimming Championship at Trees Pool at Pitt University on Thursday March 2, 2017.

CLEVELAND — While her friends are doing fun summer things, Laura Goettler is in a pool, doing laps and focusing on her lofty goals.

Since her high school season at Butler, Goettler hasn't taken a break.

“A lot of people don't realize the commitment that goes into this,” Goettler said. “It's helped me lot in all aspects of my life.”

Goettler looks forward to the few competitions she has participated in since the Golden Tornado swimming season ended.

It breaks up the monotony of two practices a day and weight-room regimens.

She enjoyed one such night Thursday as Goettler competed at the Speedo Sectionals at Cleveland State University.

Goettler placed first in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2 minutes, 35 seconds.

It wasn't her best time in the event, but the incoming Butler junior and defending PIAA champion in the 100 breaststoke wasn't necessarily expecting that.

“My best was a 2:29 and this was a little bit off of what I kind of wanted to do,” Goettler said. “But this was about preparing for nationals.”

That's the event Goettler has been working so hard for during the past nine months.

The U.S. Junior Nationals will be held in early August at Stanford University.

Goettler has been solely focused on getting ready for that huge event.

And the stakes for her are high.

“I'm getting kind of anxious for nationals to come,” Goettler said. “If I do well enough at that meet, I have a chance to qualify for the (World Junior Swimming Championships) in Budapest (Hungary).”

Goettler figures that will require a first- or second-place finish at nationals.

“Just the possibility of doing well at nationals is getting me excited,” she said.

That dream of reaching the world competition is what has driven her through the toughest days of her training.

“I give up a lot of free time,” she said. “That's why I like the competitions because it gives me a little break. The toughest part is the mental aspect, but practices are getting easier now.”

Goettler still has three races over the next three days in Cleveland.

She'll swim the 100 butterfly Friday and the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley over the weekend.

She said she's happy she got her top event out of the way Thursday.

“The rest of the weekend will be low stress,” Goettler said, chuckling.

Goettler has already qualified for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials, which will be held in Omaha, Neb., next June.