Profile of a Homeschooled Olympian: Kelci Bryant

by Andrea Hermitt | More from this Blogger

21 May 2008 04:26 PM

As we approach the 2008 Summer Olympics, now is a good time to talk about some Olympians who have been homeschooled. Being able to make education work around training through homeschooling is something many of these athletes have in common. Kelsi Bryant, a diver and Olympic hopeful has attended public school and was also homeschooled. Like her Olympic training, her education is a top priority.

Kelci Bryant, daughter of Randy and Kathie Bryant is from a family of athletes. Her sister Katie Beth was a five-time national champion diver at the University of Miami. Her sister Kara swam at Milliken University. Her brother Kevin played baseball at Morehead State. In addition, her brother Steve plays baseball at Rend Lake College. Kelci's hobbies are reading, writing, playing scrabble, and collecting turtles. She also spends time listening to music and visualizing her dives.

Kelci only began diving in 1997 and has won several medals and awards in her short career as a competitive diver:

• Bronze and Silver medal at 2007 Pan American Games women's synchronized

• Champion at 2007 Kaiser Permanente National Championships women's synchronized 3m

• Silver medal at 2007 Speedo USA Diving National Championships women's 3m
• Champion at 2006 Speedo U.S. Open women's synchronized 3m
• Champion at 2006 FINA Diving Mexico Grand Prix Super Final women's synchronized 3m

• Silver medal at 2006 FINA Diving China World Cup women's synchronized 3m

• With her synchro partner Ariel Rittenhouse, she won the 3-meter competition at the FINA Grand Prix Super Final in Guadalajara, Mexico, and defeated 2006 World Cup champions Guo Jingjing and Li Ting of China.

Bryant and Ritter expect to win the gold in Beijing 2008 Olympics. Meanwhile, Kelci Bryant lives near the U.S. National Training Center in Indianapolis under Wenbo Chen. Her favorite dive is a backwards 2½ pike somersault.

References: www.usolympicteam.com, www.usadiving.org

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Learn more about Andrea Hermitt

Andrea Hermitt is a native New Yorker currently residing in GA. She has been married for over 16 years and has two teenage children.

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