In a little more than three years, Julia Wortman went from twisting and tumbling on a bars and balance beams to soaring, twisting and turning in the air off diving boards and platforms.
The Wellington High School senior was recently rewarded for her efforts by signing her national letter of intent to dive at Stanford University next year. She said she looked at other colleges known for both their academic and athletic programs but was “blown away” by the integrity of the campus, facilities, the team and the staff.
“Everything was phenomenal and on top of that it is the top academics in the country,” said Wortman, 18, of Wellington, who is undecided on her field of study although she is leaning toward environmental engineering and communications.
“I have only been diving for about 3 1/2 years now and would be nowhere close to where I am in diving without gymnastics,” said Wortman, who was a gymnast with American Twisters in Coconut Creek. “Gymnastics taught me how to flip, how to use my muscles, and also the discipline of balancing school life with my athletic life and how to be in the pool day in and day out with everything else.
“The discipline I got from gymnastics also helped me in balancing my school life and my athletic life,” she said. “I was able to survive because I was able to handle it all.”
Wortman is coming off a stellar performance at the FHSAA Class 4A state swimming and diving championships at the Sailfish Splashpark Aquatic Athletics Center in Stuart.
She finished second with 454.30 points, just behind Boca Raton senior Jessie Creed, who won with a 479.35 total. Boca Raton freshman Emilie Moore was fourth (436.95). Both are her teammates at the Coral Springs Diving Club.
At one point in the competition, she was 22 points behind with just a few dives remaining. Her final dive, an inward dive netted her 53 points and enabled her to finish runner-up.
“I was looking forward to states since my freshman year,” Wortman said. “That was my power dive. When I hit it, there was a wave of excitement. It was so exciting.”
Given her relatively short career in diving, she said she’s surprised at her success.
“One hundred percent,” said Wortman, who at the USA Diving Senior Nationals in May finished third in the synchro platform competition with Christy Cutshaw. “I did gymnastics for 11 years and when I stopped, I thought I could be on a Division 3 team or just enjoy diving throughout high school.
“During the middle of my sophomore year, it became more apparent that I could go further than I thought I could or further than I could have in gymnastics,” she said. “It was a very welcomed surprise. It pushed me to keep training. I am so shocked where I am now, but I know that I put in the time in gymnastics and diving to get where I am now.”
Wortman said she is surrounded by a tremendous support group from her teachers who work with her when she has to miss school to attend competitions to her teammates and coaches.
“I couldn’t ask for more supportive people,” she said, adding she hopes to make the NCAAs all four years at Stanford.
She took six or seven unofficial visits before committing to Stanford.
“You have to get into the school before you commit, so it was a long process,” Wortman said. “The waiting period was difficult, but once I got in, the relief was insane and signing my national letter of intent verifies the entire experience.”
Her official visit to Stanford was a mere formality.
“My (Stanford diving) coach Patrick Jeffery said it was just a victory lap,” Wortman said. “This is absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
