Sophia Ginocchetti is really making a splash. The Wyoming Valley West senior is the three-time defending district diving champion. The Forty Fort native not only placed first in every meet this year, but she’s set the pool record in every pool she’s competed in.
"Walking in as a freshman, I never expected to be breaking all these records and doing as well as I am this year," Ginocchetti said. "I'm more of a daredevil. So, I'll just throw anything and I think that's a huge quality for a diver. It's all mental."
As for the physical, I guess you can say the talent just runs in the family. Brian Ginocchetti was a state champion diver at Bishop Hoban in 1995. Even turned that love of diving into a summer job at Six Flags. So when his daughter Sophia showed an interest, even at a young age...
"It's been a lot of fun to watch her grow through the sport," Brian Ginocchetti said. "She's probably the most decorated female diver ever to come out of the Wyoming Valley and it really makes us swell with pride."
"He would always mess around on the boards and I always looked up to him for that," the younger Ginocchetti added. "Then I thought, maybe that could be me one day. I thought I'd give it a shot and I actually ended up really liking it."
It's not just the talent this father and daughter have in common. They also have the same high school diving coach. Mike McGinley came out of retirement when he had the opportunity to coach Sophia.
"I was excited," McGinley, the Wyoming Valley West diving coach, said. "I coached her father, Brian. I knew her mother Liz, who was also a diver. It was a great opportunity for me and I cherish it."
"It's like Deja-vu all over again," Brian said. "Mike and I spent a lot of my formative years as a diver together and he's instilling all of those awesome tools in her."
Tools Ginocchetti hopes can have a ripple effect.
"I would love to win a state title, but my goal is for top five this year," Sophia said. "So, we'll see. It's going to be tight this year."