Boca diver leaps into SEC Championships

By Mario Sarmento
SPORTS EDITOR

Jeana Bartell set some personal goals for herself before the diving season started, and so far she’s been able to cross each one off her list.

Bartell, a junior at the University of Florida who is from Boca Raton, said she wanted to break the 300 score, qualify for the SEC Championships and make the NCAA meet.

So far, she has accomplished the first two goals on her list. Bartell was recently added to the Florida team that will compete at the SEC Championships in Tuscaloosa from Wednesday-Saturday.

When Bartell found out she was going to the championships, she said, “No, I definitely did not expect it … when I found out, I was pretty excited.”

It’s the first time Bartell has qualified for the championships in three years as a Gator, and diving coach Donnie Craine cited her previous performances in conference meets as the reason why.

In fact, he said the Georgia Invitational in January as the turning point in Bartell’s career.

“She was very competitive with all the SEC teams that were there,” he said.

Bartell finished seventh in the 1-meter dive at the event.

Until this season, Bartell was burdened with the promise of expectation.

She attended Boca Raton Christian School from 4th-8th grade, but it wasn’t until she reached Westminster Academy as a ninth-grader that she started diving.

Bartell left the school with every diving record imaginable, and she was named to the 2003-2004 All-American Diving Team.

She earned a scholarship to UF, but struggled to find her consistency during her first two years.

Part of the problem stemmed from Bartell’s gymnastics background. She had been a gymnast for 10 years, and Craine said some of her old habits kept creeping into her diving.

“She had some flaws in her technique,” he said. “The problem was she had a tendency to twist too early, and it was hard to line up correctly. A lot of it was her self-confidence.”

But Craine also saw a lot of talent in Bartell.

“She was very raw and you never knew what to expect,” he said.

This offseason, Bartell decided to improve by training with divers she knew were better than her, including one who will compete at the Olympic trials.

“When you train with people like that, you’re going to get better,” she said.

Craine said that hard work was what made the difference this year.

Bartell turned 21 on Jan. 25, and on the same weekend she finished first in both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives, giving her one of the best performances of her career.

The 1-meter dive is Bartell’s best event, because Craine said, “She spins really fast and her entrance is good.” Ironically, Bartell’s gymnastics training has allowed her to excel in twists and spins in her diving.

Bartell also does well in the classroom, as she was on the High Honor Roll in high school and was an SEC Academic Honor Roll selection at UF.

“She’s been raised great,” Craine said. “She never complained the two years before when she didn’t make the conference team.”

With her first two goals achieved, Bartell is still seeking qualification in the NCAAs. To do so, she’ll have to dive well at the Zone Championships in March. But first she’s focused on more immediate goals, like competing at the SECs.