Marie Yacopino has broken five records in her first two years of diving for North Penn, one last year and four this year: the 11 dive team record (2013), a ten-year-old 11 dive pool record (2014), the 11 dive League Championship record (2014), the 6 dive team record (2014) & the 6 dive pool record. The first record mentioned Yacopino broke by over 40 points as a freshman; she was the only 9th grader participating at the District Championship. She qualified for States, and at the State Championship, again she was the only freshman participant and finished as the first runner-up. Yacopino was awarded with All-American honors, one of only 5 freshman girls in the entire country to receive that honor.
“It feels good, like a major accomplishment. There are a lot of sacrifices you have to make with it. For example we have practices almost every day and you have to miss out on a lot of opportunities with friends as well. However, I want to dive in college, that’s a big part of it. It will be fun doing something that I enjoy all the time,” said Yacopino.
North Penn Diving head coach Kyle Goldbacher has nothing but praises for Yacopino.
“Marie has had, and continues to have, an enormous impact on the program. From the moment she stepped on the scene, she established sort of a superstar status. In a certain sense, she is legendary. There’s a mystique that follows her around in PIAA diving. I know Marie very well, and she does an exceptionally good job at balancing the image and the reality. She exceeded all competitive expectation as a freshman, and thus carries that weight as a sophomore, but she’s carried it well, and has raised her game to another level,” said head diving coach Kyle Goldbacher.
With two seasons under her belt it’s now time for Yacopino to transcend from the role of a newcomer to that of a seasoned vet. With enough time to properly understand the new found expectations, Yacopino is now prepared.
“It’s fun being with the team but it’s different than what I’m used to. It was hard at first getting adjusted but, I like it. I feel like there are more expectations, the first year nobody really knew all of the freshman but now they know us and they expect a lot out of us,” explained Yacopino.
“The diving team is a small, tight unit, and so each member thoroughly contributes to the identity of the team. We are in the process of re-establishing a team dominance that has begun to garnish state-wide respect. Obviously, Marie is a huge part of that process. She’s been the catalyst. Moving forward, I expect Marie to “stay the course.”
Every path has its fair share of challenges and potential setbacks. But just like pushing down on a springboard, you push in a certain direction, carry the weight of expectation, put in the hard work, load the board, and then position your body, secure your balance, keep your poise, and then you launch, you catch flight and elevate to a level that you never knew existed. That’s Marie, ready for take-off,” commented Goldbacher.
Like many divers, Yacopino is a former gymnastics athlete. She made the transition in the third grade however; Yacopino did not compete competitively until her freshman year. With a great coaching staff, Yacopino is ready to take her game to the next level.
“Diving is a niche sport. It blends athleticism with artistry. In a certain sense, Marie is way old school. As an Olympic sport, diving is quickly becoming a more technical discipline. Marie’s unique persona however excels within the aesthetic realm. She combines power and grace in a masterful way, displaying a style that sets her apart from the field of competition, regardless of technical aptitude and degree of difficulty. I am fully confident that Marie will graduate from North Penn as the most decorated female diver in school history,” concluded Goldbacher.