Once upon a time, not so long ago, Tyler Barrett was bouncing with my son in the backyard of their St. Michael daycare, run by the lovely Miss Carol. Tyler was a grade school kid, eager to bounce and run with the little friends he knew at the in-home daycare after school. Kamden, my then pre-schooler, was a favorite of Tyler’s younger sister, Lilia.
But Kam could not wait to see Tyler show up.
Even then – nearly a decade ago, Tyler would bounce and flip and climb and jump, leaving my 4-year-old in awe of his feats. The two also liked to play a little football together back then.
Now, a decade later, Tyler’s twists and flips and jumps have earned him a new status – State Diving Champion.
Believe me when I say I saw this coming.
Boys can “do” gymnastics – but can’t compete for trophies or state championships. So, Tyler combined his love of aerial accomplishment with another thing kids all love – swimming.
It’s earned him a few medals. But last weekend, at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center – it earned him a state championship. The first for any diver from St. Michael-Albertville. The senior Barrett held off all comers and was looking like he’d place in the top three through preliminaries and the first round. Then he smashed two dives toward the end of the meet and captured glory.
Pretty clutch for a kid who worried our friend Carol sick sometimes with his backyard antics.
Barrett is the son of Laura (Glatzmeier) and Donny Barrett – two of the nicest people you’ll meet in STMA. Good things happen to good people.
To think we knew him when.
Congratulations, champ!
For more on the performance, check out this article
STMA Places Eighth at State AA Meet
As for the rest of Barrett’s team, the Knights placed 8th overall at the 2021 AA State Swim Meet, which was won by Edina High School.
A look at the results: