Future vet is a splash for Titans

Mike Barringer of Boardman has loved swimming and animals for most of his life.

Now both of those interests are carving out athletic, academic and vocational careers for the Boardman High graduate at Westminster College.

Barringer, a freshman on the Titans’ swimming team, recently made the All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference swimming & diving first team by placing in the top three in four events at the PAC men’s and women’s championships Feb. 12-14 at Grove City College.

The son of Terry and Mary Ann Barringer, Mike also is majoring in pre-veterinary medicine with a 3.55 GPA, with hopes of becoming a veterinarian.

An early start swimming and loving animals has given him strong career starts at Westminster.

“I started swimming when I was 7 years old with Penguin Swimming which operates out of YSU. I was with Penguin Swimming for seven years. Then I swam four years for Boardman High,” said Barringer, who specializes in the butterfly and freestyle events but also does the backstroke and breaststroke as part of the individual medley.

In the PAC meet, he was a member of the winning 400 freestyle relay (3:06.65) with Steve Burns, Brett Gerthoffer and Aaron Whisman, and part of two-runner-up relays in the 400 medley (3:26.25) with Kris Brooks, Chris Lehberger and Steve Burns, and the 200 medley (1:33.46) with Whisman, Chris Lehberger and Burns.

Barringer said the individual medley consists of the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle strokes, each 50 yards.

Regarding his love for animals, he said he was influenced by having pets and the Canfield Fair.

“[It was] just that growing up I liked taking care of animals. I always had some kind of special relationship with animals. I have spent my entire live with animals,” said Barringer.

“I had two dogs and two cats growing up. I used to go to the Canfield Fair. The thing I liked to do there was to go see the animals instead of going on rides. So, I figure that I may as well have a career taking care of animals. So, what I liked to do in life is translating into a career.”

Barringer said that college swimming is a big step up from the high school level, and that he has benefited from advanced coaching and training techniques.

“I’d say I definitely learned more my first year of college. I have gotten faster. I am developing my stroke technique,” he said.

“I am capitalizing on the coaching and training information available on the collegiate level. It’s a mixture of more intense training and greater knowledge of stroke technique and how to train and do things properly, like nutrition. Mainly, I have achieved a much higher conditioning level at Westminster than I did in high school.”

For example:

“During the season, I swim six times a week and some mornings. We are off Wednesday mornings and swim or lift other mornings. We are swimming Monday through Saturday. I’m spending more time swimming per day in college than I did in high school.”

Barringer said didn’t expect to make the All-PAC first team, and hopes it is a sign that he can do even better.

“Going into the meet, I didn’t think about it. So it was kind of a surprise. I am very happy I got it and very pleased that I was able to do so well,” said Barringer, who has drawn more incentive from his performance.

“I’m going into next season telling myself that I don’t want to finish any lower than I did at the PAC meet this year, and I will be training hard and not losing focus. My goals next year are to be a PAC champion and a national qualifier.”

XJohn Kovach covers college sports for The Vindicator. Write to him at kovach@vindy.com.