Girls swimming: Just one more challenge for Portage’s Barcelli

Updated: November 14, 2011 7:48PM

PORTAGE — To an outside spectator it could’ve seemed like any typical preseason girls swimming practice for PortageHigh School. The swimmers dipped in and out of the water, hoping to shave times. And, nearby, the divers were practicing forward flips, back flips and twists.

Typical for a lot of the girls? Yes. But for Mackenzie Barcelli this particular Tuesday afternoon offered quite the breakout moment. About a month into her first ever diving reps, the first-year performer had her first strong showing in reverse dives. Just moments after her first signs of confidence with the reverse tuck and the reverse tuck summersault dives, Barcelli’s face lit up with a smile.

“It’s better to do them more times before season starts,” Barcelli said about the reverses.

Maybe that response can’t exactly be classified as anxious, but a look at Barcelli’s athletic tenure provides the perfect reason why. Even though it’s her first year with the Indians swimming program, the junior has already played three with the golf team and is on the verge of her third season in both gymnastics and track and field.

In fact, by competing in a fourth sport, she’s on pace to get 14 varsity letters, which would give her the Portage record for a female athlete (which is currently at 12).

So far in diving, it’s been a matter of knowing her limits.

“I finally know how much I can handle, if school’s too much with sports,” said Barcelli who also has a sparkling 4.2 grade point average. “No, I won’t let my grades drop. School always comes first.”

Though an athletic background was there, various body movements on the board are much different than the types previously used by the life-long gymnast. A vivid example is the takeoff style of the backward dives.

Barcelli may be Portage’s top all-around gymnast, having finished eighth at last year’s state meet, but her back flips on ground level are only vaguely comparable to those nearing the water.

Portage co-diving coach Joe Hulse Jr. has used a technical approach to get Barcelli up to speed on the years she’s missed.

“It’s good, because it’s a blind takeoff and you’re not supposed to throw your head behind you,” Hulse said about the training. “She’s got to hear it — kind of filter it in her head (when she) gets up on the board.”

Barcelli isn’t the only member of the gymnastics team to round out the three-member diving squad. Sophomore Justine Brasseur also is in her first year in diving. Barcelli said that having former gymnast and seasoned diver Lauren Haddox (a senior) has been especially helpful in the transition.

“Because Lauren used to be a gymnast, so she relates things to how I would do them,” said Barcelli, who will compete in her first dual on Thursday at home against Hobart.

Along with learning, another obstacle for the two newcomers is the scheduling conflict between swimming and gymnastics, which started open gym this month. On a typical day they’ll go to gymnastics practice and then come to the pool for 45 minutes. And when Portage faces Duneland rival Valparaiso in their annual dual, the duo will be at a gymnastics meet instead.

So given this ambitious quest, one might wonder if Barcelli tires? Sure, but she also lives for her current lifestyle.

“Um, I do (get tired), but I’m used to it now,” she said. “I’m that kind of person that always has to be doing something, or I’m kind of bored.”

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