Maize senior Preston Barley ready for his final swims (+video)

Maize senior Preston Barley will place his swimming goggles on the starting block Saturday afternoon at the Capitol Federal Natatorium in Topeka, a symbolic move ending his swimming career.

It’s bound to be emotional, but Barley is focused and content heading into the state meet.

“I haven’t regretted the decision yet,” he said. “We’ll see how I feel after this weekend. As of now, I’m happy. It’s kind of behind me.

“I’m ready to go and really excited to see how I go. I’m really hoping for some really good stuff to happen this weekend.”

Barley is seeded second in Class 5-1A in the 200-yard freestyle (1:49), three seconds behind Bonner Springs sophomore Ryan Downing. Barley is seeded fourth in the 100 free (49.77), with six-tenths of a second separating the top four seeds.

He’s on the 200 medley relay (1:41.04) and the 400 free relay (3:22.48). Both relays are seeded second behind Wichita Heights.

Two of his teammates on the 400 relay — Harrison Shively and Brett Young — are planning on retiring their goggles, as well.

“I’ve talked about college swimming with (Barley),” Maize coach Tedd Gibson said. “He’s a Division I swimmer all day long in grades, ability and ethic.

“I respect (his decision), and it’s going to be quite a moment if I see it. But it confuses me greatly. I was a football guy and football tells you when you’re done.”

Barley said if he had chosen to swim in college, he would have signed with Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Barley’s gift is it is impossible to stymie him in a workout.

“When I know I’ve written a really mean workout, something that will hurt them, I get that look from him, ‘Oh, here we go. Watch what I’m going to do to you,’ ” Gibson said with a laugh.

“His ability to handle the workout, his ability to go fast — he’s a great swimmer. He’s got every stroke. What really makes him good is he can handle it and go right on through anything that he needs to.”

Barley is considering swimming for a club team at Kansas, where he plans to study exercise science or business.

“I think I kind of got burned out. It was a really hard decision,” Barley said. “I decided that I needed to move on. It’s taken over my life. I let it take over my life. I’m ready to focus on school and move on.”

Before his last race, though, his sights are set on winning his first individual title, getting a team title and winning another relay.

As a freshman, Barley was on the Class 6A-winning 200 free relay, but individually, he has come up short.

He finished second in the 200 free as a sophomore and was third as a freshman and junior.

“He has always handled it very well,” Gibson said. “He’s been a competitive swimmer for a long time, so it’s not the first time he’s been beat.… He’s handled it well.”

Finishing second as a sophomore hurt most.

“That was the hardest year,” Barley said. “Not to say that I didn’t want it last year, but getting second, you’re right there. I was in the lead for the first 150 (yards), and he got me in the last 50.

“I let it get to me, and I didn’t do so hot in the 100 free after that. Last year, I was more mature. I brought it back in the 100 (butterfly) and got fourth.”

Gibson has seen an increased focus from Barley, who remains a lovable jokster.

He has a quick wit, especially at the expense of Gibson, with whom he trades jokes.

Gibson said he struggles to hear, which is made worse at the pool, where the acoustics are horrific. But he reads lips well, so when he sees Barley hiding his lips while talking to a teammate, Gibson knows he’s probably being mocked.

“He knows that if I’ve written a set a certain way, he’ll make sure that everyone is picking up on that,” Gibson said. “He’s always leading my main lane. And he knows when he can get away with it and pull my strings.

“He has the ability to change the mood at practice. He can bring them up, get them a little more intense and … when he turns them on me, it’s because we needed a laugh or a break. I love how he handles the team.”

This story was originally published February 17, 2016 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Maize senior Preston Barley ready for his final swims (+video)."