Joy in the pool

Freshman diver already winning

Liberty University freshman Jenna Joyal’s love for diving began after suffering a knee injury that forced her to quit gymnastics in middle school.

Little did she know, the injury would lead her to discover a whole new passion: diving.

Fast forward to freshman year of college, Joyal was named the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Diver of the Week, making her the third women’s diver to receive the award in Liberty’s program history.

“I still had that love for flipping,” Joyal said. “I thought, ‘Why not look into diving,’ because it shares the same techniques for flipping, twisting and knowing where you are in the air.”

Joyal said that her sophomore year in high school was when she realized her love for the sport.

“There was a youth program in my town (New Fairfield, Connecticut), and I started diving there a couple days a week,” Joyal said.

“Then, I took a couple years off, but I picked it up my sophomore year in high school.”

DIVE — Jenna Joyal is a two-sport athlete. Photo credit: leah Seavers

DIVE — Jenna Joyal is a two-sport athlete. Photo credit: leah Seavers

Diving isn’t the only sport Joyal is passionate about. She is also a midfielder and attacker on the Lady Flames lacrosse team.

“I was at a lacrosse recruiting camp,” Joyal said. “I was even involved in a recruitment group with the lacrosse coach at Liberty.”

According to Joyal, the Liberty lacrosse coach invited her to look at Liberty’s campus. After stepping on campus, Joyal instantly knew Liberty was the place she wanted to use her talents.

“I was originally looking at Liberty for lacrosse,” Joyal said. “I love both sports for different reasons. I love the competitiveness with lacrosse, yet I love the pressure I have to put on myself for diving.”

Joyal said unlike lacrosse, where teamwork and comradery are involved, diving is a single-person sport that requires focus to get a good score.

“(The sports) are so different in many ways,” Joyal said. “I don’t know if I have a favorite.”

Despite being nervous for her first collegiate meet, Joyal finished thirteenth in the 1-meter diving and fourteenth in the 3-meter diving.

“I tend to do well under pressure,” Joyal said. “I tell my nerves not to get the best of me. (Diving) is something I’ve been doing for a while. I don’t typically get too nervous.”

Joyal said Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson was a role model for her growing up, and she and her mother would watch eagerly when Johnson performed on TV.

“(Johnson) was always so strong and so determined,” Joyal said. “I wanted to be like her when I grew up.”

Aside from sports, Joyal enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking and whitewater rafting. In particular, she enjoys being in the mountains.

“The outdoors have always been a peaceful spot to get away,” Joyal said. “I just love adventuring around.”

Currently, Joyal has not decided on a major, but is considering psychology.

“There’s definitely so many ideas in my head of what I think I could enjoy doing in life,” Joyal said. “Psychology is something I would really like to do.”

After graduation, Joyal said she aspires to be a coach in either lacrosse or diving.

“Immediately after graduation, I want to travel around,” Joyal said. “I want to find a job that I’m passionate about that allows me to raise a family.”

The next Liberty swim meet will be Nov. 15 — day one of the Frank Elm Invite in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Smith is a sports reporter.

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