NORFOLK, Va. — Sometimes quitting one sport means the beginning of another. So is the case for Granby diver Maegan Thebarge.
“I started to want to do it when I quit gymnastics because I thought I’d probably be good at it since I already knew how to do the technique a little bit,” she explained.
It hasn’t been long since she made the jump to the swimming pool.
“I’ve been diving for around two months.”
And she’s already found her footing quickly, despite where they happen to land.
“It’s definitely different because I have to flip a little more to land in the water headfirst instead of on my feet,” she explained. “But I think it's easier for me coming from gymnastics because I already know how to do a lot of the stuff.”
But she’s diving headfirst into the sport figuratively too, qualifying for states at just her second-ever meet and more recently taking home the Class 5 Region B title. She’s also the first diver for the Comets since 2018.
Still, Maegan’s not phased.
“I was kind of disappointed actually. I think I could have done better.”
She’s not scared of much either.
“I think being scared is fun,” she admits.
But she is curious, another reason she’s chosen to dabble in diving along with playing soccer and field hockey. It’s something she expresses even outside of sports.
“Ever since I was little, I’ve always been into science. I just love mixing stuff together and I’d probably want to do something that has to do with creating medicine,” she said as she described her career aspirations.
That goal shouldn’t be too far off for the straight-A student who still has two years left at Granby. And if her transition to pre-med is as smooth as her transition to diving, well start making your appointment now with Dr. Meagan Thebarge.
