WHEN Marlee Barber retires from diving in five, 10 or 15 years, there will be no “what ifs”.
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Since turning her life upside down as a 15-year-old and moving from the Border to Sydney to pursue her dream, the Walla youngster has left nothing on the platform.
NSW director of coaching Allen Bull has seen it first hand as she has put herself through 14 hours a week of training and another six on the track or in the gym.
Bull first saw Barber in action during a NSW schools competition in 2006 and admitted yesterday the former promising gymnast had plenty of work to do.
“She was just an ordinary kid back then,” Bull said.
“At that stage she had a lot of problems with her diving and was probably still a little overawed but Marlee’s improved out of sight.
“She’s an extremely hard worker and deserves everything she gets.
“It’s a credit to her how much she has improved in that time.
“How far can she go?
“Who knows.”
Barber, who’s been nominated for the Norske Skog Young Achiever of the Year, has been richly rewarded since making the move having recently qualified for the Australian Elite Junior Championships in Perth in July.
It follows her winning silver and bronze medals in the platform and 3m knockout in the Asian Pacific Championships last December against competition from the US, China and New Zealand.
The young talent also posted outstanding results in the Australian All Schools Championships last year.
Marlee’s mother, Maree, who moved to Sydney with her daughter last year, said the former Albury High student and Playground to Podium diver was working towards a crack at the Australian Open Championships.
“It was a big move, coming to Sydney last January, but you learn to adapt,” Maree said.
“It’s been a change for everyone.
“You don’t really get time to think about it.
“Our family gets together as often as we can.
“Everything is here as far as the coaches, facilities and competition goes and Marlee’s enjoying the challenge of getting as far as possible in the sport.
“She enjoys the competition and training and all that goes with it.”
The year 11 student at Sydney’s Concord High School is aiming for a top- 10 finish at the Australian Elite Junior Nationals and hopes to increase the degree of difficulty of her dives, which will enable her to qualify for the Australian Open.
The championships are selections for all Australian junior and senior teams.
Barber has her level 1 gymnastics and diving coaching accreditation and level 1 diving judging accreditation and assists with coaching school divers who don’t belong to clubs.
She enjoyed one of the perks of the sport when she was recently asked to do stunts for a new ABC series “Dance Academy”, which involved her doing two jumps from a 13m balcony into the Sydney Harbour from Pier One at night.
The young achiever winner will be announced at a dinner at SS and A Albury on March 19.
