ANDOVER — Deborah Daly admits that butterflies still creep into her stomach.
"There have been some tough times that I've been scared to do everything," said the Andover High freshman. "Especially early on, when I was afraid of smacking (the diving board). But I have been saying to myself, 'If you smack, you smack. Oh, well, get over it. Just go.'"
It is those nerves of steel that have allowed Daly to emerge as the newest in a long line of Andover diving stars. Next Saturday at MIT, Daly will look to help lead the heavily-favored Golden Warriors to victory at the Division 1 state swimming championship.
Already, she had drawn comparisons to Golden Warriors diving greats including two-time Division 1 state champion Katie O'Connell (2006-07), two-time Division 1 North champ Jen Busby (1999-2000) and four-time North Sectional champion Caroline Crocker (1995-98).
"Deborah is two years ahead of them as freshmen," said Andover head coach Marilyn Fitzgerald. "She probably has more variations on her dives than any freshman we have ever had. She is not afraid to try new things."
The 14-year-old began diving just 2 1/2 years ago.
"I had tried gymnastics for about half a year and it was only OK," she remembered. "I had never swam in my whole life, but I decided I wanted to give diving a shot. I was a little scared, especially on the three-meter (board, which is an inch shy of 10 feet). But it clicked right away."
Daly began to star for Charles River Diving, which operates out of college pools in Boston. During the offseason, she works out there for up to three hours a day, six days a week. She has also spent up to five days a week there during this season.
Her performance with Charles River created high expectations this season. Last year she found a mentor in O'Connell, who is now a freshman diver at Penn State.
"I have known Katie for a long time," she said. "It was great to be able to talk to her and ask her about anything, like what it was like to be a member of the varsity team.
"I was confident in my abilities as a diver. I've been doing it for 2 1/2 years. But I was more nervous that I wasn't going to be an important part of the team. I wanted to be able to help out the girls."
If there was any doubt about her abilities, she put them to rest in her first meet.
Daly took first with a 252.70, besting Methuen standout Katie Oskar, who placed fourth at Division 1 States last fall.
"It was really exciting to have a freshman come in with so much past experience," said Andover diving coach Becky Pierce. "Deborah is just the whole package as a diver. She is absolutely (comparable) to the best we've had."
The Golden Warriors went 12-0 with Daly grabbing firsts in all five meets in which she dove. But she has saved her best performances for the postseason.
She won the Merrimack Valley Conference diving series (229.80), and took first place (245.50) to lead Andover to victory at the league meet after its streak of eight straight was snapped a season ago. Last Saturday, she added a second-place finish in the 1-meter diving to help Andover to the North title.
She'll be trying to get revenge at States against Acton-Boxboro junior Michelle Higgins, who upset the top-seeded Daly at Sectionals, 476.9-446.0.
"Deborah has a high degree of difficulty," said Fitzgerald. "That is the name of the game in big meets. A lot of divers that make States are solid on their six required dives. But you have to have optional dives and the higher degree of difficulty the diver has, the more points she can score. She has that."
Daly now turns her attention to the state meet. After entering the winner's circle nine straight times (one title was forfeited due to an eligibility issue), the Golden Warriors finished fourth last season. But Daly and her teammates are primed to regain that title this season.
1-2 punch
Andover has an embarrassment of riches in the diving department. Freshman Deborah Daly placed second in the North Sectionals and sophomore Jenny Coneeny took third.
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