Orange senior Janie Boyle is just a few weeks away from completing her high school diving career but she won’t soon be forgotten.
The defending Division II 1-meter diving state champion, won her fourth straight Chagrin Valley Conference championship last weekend and set a new conference record in the process by finishing the meet with 509.20 points.
“She wanted to break the CVC record. Because of her work ethic and love for the sport, she was able to do just that,” Orange coach Andrea Radel said. “Janie’s work ethic allows her to be impressive on the boards and in the water. She is a very committed athlete. Having her at practice is not only fun to watch, but challenges everyone else to do better.”
Boyle won her first state diving title last winter after finishing third in 2017 and sixth in 2016.
She previously focused on diving but this year has added some swim events to her repertoire, which has presented a new set of challenges and also has helped her develop as an athlete.
“Diving and swimming are two completely different sports,” Boyle said. “I’m so glad I’m able to do both of them. Swimming takes a lot more physical ability and a lot more strength in the mind and diving is very mental as well but doesn’t take as much strength. It’s a lot more flexibility and technique.”
Her performance at the CVC meet provided a much-needed confidence and inspiration boost at this point of a long, grueling season.
“It’s huge,” Boyle said. “I’m so excited because this meet went so well considering the fact that it’s been a really long season so far and the next couple of weeks are going to be a little bit slower because we’re going to be starting to prepare for sectionals and districts and hopefully state. I’m very excited.”
Boyle also placed 10th in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 27.51.
Now her attention is focused on the postseason, which begins with the sectional meet at SPIRE on Feb. 8 and will hopefully conclude at the state meet on Feb. 20.
“It is a nice stepping stone on the road to the 2019 state finals,” Radel said of Boyle’s CVC performance. “She’s excited to perform come February 20.”
Boyle, who finished fifth at the 2018 USA Diving Junior National Championships, in November signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her education and diving career at the University of Texas.
