Weigel, Jaric, Vallinger diving at state

YOUNGSTOWN -- There's no doubt that physical endurance is an integral part of swimming, but where does fortitude enter the picture?
When you've hit your head on the diving board.
That's what happened to Poland High's Sara Weigel, a senior who is one of three area qualifiers for the state championships in Division II Thursday at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton.
The 17-year-old Weigel is a first-time qualifier to state, as is freshman Tricia Vallinger, also of Poland.
Springfield junior Kacie Jaric is making a return state appearance after finishing 11th in 2006.
Regained confidence
Weigel's strength to bear misfortune paid dividends when she scored 325.80 points to place sixth at the district meet.
"It was a really bad meet," she said. "I dove poorly. I should have been higher up, but I made it."
The daughter of Bob and Cyndi Weigel of Poland is a testament to perseverance.
While training in September, prior to the high school season, Weigel hit her head on a 1-meter diving board at Youngstown State's Beeghly Natatorium, while doing a front flip with a full twist.
"It took two months to get all my dives back," Weigel said of the reacclimation period. "I had to start over by just jumping off the end of the board. It seemed that Nick helped me out, kind of walked me through it again so I made it."
She was referring to Nick Gavolas of Timberbrook, a diving academy. Gavolas, a former standout YSU diver, is the age-group instructor for Weigel, Jaric and Vallinger.
Weigel participated in diving her freshman year, then swam her sophomore season before returning to the board as a junior.
She'll dive for YSU next year, under Gavolas, with the help of a combined athletic and academic scholarship.
Five groups
Of the five diving groups (forward, backward, inward, reverse and twist) Weigel favors the inward -- standing on the end of the board and flipping towards it.
"It's my best-scoring, best-looking dive," Weigel said. "The judges look for the best form."
Jaric, the 17-year-old daughter of Toni and Dan Jaric of New Middletown, has been diving 21/2 years.
"I never swam competitively, just did gymnastics," Kacie said. "Then I quit gymnastics my freshman year and, about a month later, started diving. My friends who also did gymnastics tried diving and got me into it."
The transition wasn't very difficult, Jaric said.
"Events that helped my diving were floor exercise and beam. Flipping and knowing how to twist helped my diving a lot. It sped up the learning process."
Being the only Springfield student in her specialty isn't a lonely endeavor.
"It's not so hard because I have friends here, too," she said of the other Timberbrook swimmers. "This is the group I'm involved with year-round."
Preference
Jaric prefers backward dives. While going backwards, she incorporates flips and some twists in a back 11/2.
Jaric was district champion as a sophomore, but finished runner-up this year with 367.30 points.
The slip from 2006 is proof that the competition has stiffened.
"I hope to finish better, if only one place," Jaric said. "I'm happy getting this far, but I just want to make an improvement from last year."
Of 24 divers at state last year, finishing 11th was two spots away from the award winners.
"I was satisfied," Jaric said.
The 14-year-old Vallinger, the daughter of Gloria and Frank Vallinger of Poland, has been diving with Gavolas for only six months.
She started last summer after participating in gymnastics for 10 years.
Tricia tried diving after being convinced by her sister, Mary. Actually, it was Mary Vallinger who enticed Jaric into diving after both abandoned gymnastics.
Freshman third
At the district meet, Vallinger placed third with 335.25 points. She successfully completed 11 dives.
"You do five, then they cut, so you don't know whether you'll be in the next round," said Vallinger, who wasn't surprised that she advanced to state.
"I was fairly confident that I'd make the top six, but I wasn't expecting third."
Vallinger is most comfortable doing the front 21/2.
"It's pretty easy because it's like gymnastics. I already knew how to flip, so it's just doing it into water."
She may be one of the youngest divers doing gymnastics into the water at state.
bassetti@vindy.com