Richmond Castle in Yorkshire, England is home to many royal legends, including King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable.
However, freshman Josephine Barker, who hails from Yorkshire, brings much more than royalty to the Ohio University Aquatic Center.
“She was quiet and shy the first couple of weeks,” said Ohio coach Derick Roe. “But she has really assimilated and developed into a funny, great girl for this team.”
Barker, a freestyle swimmer who was recruited by former Ohio coach Greg Werner last season, said she was attracted to United States swimming because of the “team oriented” style shown by Roe and Werner.
But the early season has not been all “tea and crumpets” for the native Englishwoman.
In her first semester swimming for the Bobcats, Barker had to adjust to the length of the pool and the notion of her races being measured in yards rather than meters.
“It took some time to get used to and also the type of training we do,” Barker said. “But I really enjoy the competition and the team style.”
Swimming isn’t the only thing Barker had to adapt to since coming to America.
“It hasn’t been as difficult as I thought it would be,” she said. “It’s just little things, like schoolwork and different usage of words. I used to say stuff like, ‘Are we going to tea?’ meaning dinner, and the team would look at me like, ‘What?’”
Sophomore Bianca Hauzer, who is from South Africa, is another international swimmer who had experienced pains similar to Barker’s.
“In training terms, they do it a lot differently (here),” Hauzer said. “In that aspect it’s pretty hard adjusting to the coaching style, but at the same time the coaching styles are very good because you get to really know your coach.”
Over the course of the season, Barker has made her mark as a member of the 200-yard medley relay team, which achieved its season-best time of 1:46.47 against Marshall on Nov. 8.
That mark has been steadily improving since early on in the Bobcats’ 2013-14 campaign.
Barker placed second in the 200-yard freestyle event against Buffalo in the Bobcats’ second meet of the season, improving by about two seconds on her third place finish from the previous week.
“I think Josie is a great teammate,” said Casey Papp, a sophomore and fellow relay swimmer. “I think she is going to do well this season, and I know this program has some good things for her.”
In her first year in Athens, Barker has brought pride from her international roots. She has a British flag hanging in her dorm and carries a bit of her homeland with her every day.
“The first couple of weeks it was hard (being away from home),” Barker said. “Before I left, my friends and family gave me cards and a little necklace with a British flag on it. My parents told me not to forget that I’m British and to stay to my roots.”
lr514812@ohio.edu
@Lukeoroark
