Robyn Karlage (Jeff Swinger photos) | ZOOM |

        It's a wonder Holmes junior diver Robyn Karlage finds time to eat or sleep.

        Karlage is the defending regional 1-meter champion, and she finished fourth in the state last season. She probably is one of the best time managers in high school. She has to be.

        When Karlage isn't on the 1-meter platform for the Bulldogs, she's swimming four events (100-yard butterfly, 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 500 freestyle) for Holmes or the Kenton County Clippers. After school, there's swimming practice at Silverlake Recreation Center in Erlanger.

        Or there's diving off the 3-meter board as a member of the Dive Cincinnati team. After school, she's either at Scott for 1-meter practice or the University of Cincinnati for 1- or 3-meter.

        She's also taking advanced classes in Holmes' International Baccalaureate program (Karlage lives in Edgewood but attends Holmes because of the academics).

Robyn Karlage | ZOOM |

        “I'm usually up until 12 or 1 a.m.,” the 16-year old Karlage said. “It's very hard.”

        Allyson Heger, Karlage's high school coach, says Karlage can do whatever she wants.

        “She can defend her title,” Heger said. “She'll definitely get a scholarship in college. She can hang with those girls in Division I.”

        Though Karlage says her schedule is difficult, she doesn't mind the grind too much. Especially the diving.

        “I like the thrill of being able to do a dive other people can't,” she said. “It's interesting what (one) can do in the air other people can't do on the ground.”

        Maybe Karlage likes diving so much because she had to live without it.

        In December 1998, Karlage's freshman year. Karlage qualified for state as an eighth-grader, and she was on track for another strong season when she broke her left ??????? during a workout on the trampoline.

        “I was actually doing a stomach drop,” Karlage said. “I was over-rotating, and I got scared and put my hands down.”

        Karlage missed four months. No regional or state meet.

        “I couldn't dive for almost four months, and I gained weight,” Karlage said. “I couldn't do what I wanted to do.”

        Which made last season more special. Karlage said the regional title was more satisfying.

        “I was happy because it's a local meet, yet a lot of people compete in it.” Karlage said.

        Karlage wants to specialize in orthopedic medicine some day and maybe become a surgeon. For now, she'll put up with the stress of everything she does.

        “My swim coach says that's normal because we train so much and we're tired,” Karlage said. “I just love the water.”

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