Senior Spotlight: Earlywine dives into D-I Denver

SCHENECTADY, NY (NEWS10) — Within the seventh grade, Maya Earlywine was pressured to cease gymnastics because of a again harm. However when one door closes, one other one opens. For Maya, it was the door to the pool.

“It was truly actually laborious to stop that sport as a result of I’d carried out it for thus lengthy,” mentioned Earlywine. “Then shifting into diving, it was simply manner much less strain on my physique, and it was much more enjoyable truthfully.”

When Maya started her diving journey, she wasn’t ranging from a clean slate. Her gymnastic skills translated completely. “She already had the pliability and power and coordination that you must train most different folks,” mentioned coach Jeremy Sagaille.

All of it clicked rapidly. “I made states my first yr,” mentioned Earlywine. “I feel I knew, that’s once I was like, ‘Oh, I’m good at this.’”

The accolades adopted. Two-time state finalist, Suburban Council champion, and maybe most notably – the six dive report at Bethlehem, breaking her personal report this previous season. However from the beginning, these issues weren’t what meant probably the most to Maya. “Once we first began working collectively, I used to be like, ‘Man, I wish to see you win sectionals, win states, go on to Division-I,’” mentioned Sagaille. “I feel she type of taught me a little bit bit like, ‘Hey, I wish to have enjoyable. I wish to get pleasure from myself.’”

That type of angle is precisely what made the College of Denver, a Division-I program, the suitable match for her. “The coach may be very a lot concerned within the technique of diving,” mentioned Earlywine. “It’s not simply profitable, like the result. It’s actually essential to me to deal with the mindfulness and the psychological facet of the game, not simply the dives themselves.”