Clichés about “hard work paying off” and “practice making perfect” could not describe someone more accurately than Portage High School senior Mackenzie Barcelli. After four years of total devotion to academics, athletics and extra-curricular activities, everything is coming together for Barcelli.
She rounded out her high school gymnastics career by hoisting the team state championship trophy on Saturday at Ball State University with a 112.6-112.1 edging of rival Valparaiso. In the process of lifting her team to the state title, Barcelli became the state floor (9.675) and all-around (38.325) champion.
Barcelli’s mother and head coach Karen Barcelli said she did not realize that her daughter was the all-around state champion until they announced second place and it was not her. As if the team state title were not enough, the all-around championship allowed Barcelli to wrap up her career in elegant style.
Despite all the accolades, records and achievements that Barcelli has notched as a gymnast, the sport makes up just a small portion of everything she has accomplished in high school. As soon as she meets the requirements to earn her fourth track and field letter this spring, Barcelli will elevate her varsity letter total to 13 and surpass the all-time PHS record, becoming the most decorated athlete in the history of the school. She also lettered in golf and gymnastics four years each in addition to notching a diving letter as a junior.
“Since my freshman year, I wanted to dive because I thought it would be a really cool experience,” Barcelli said. “I went into the school saying I could break this record and I just thought it would be really cool.”
In addition to having at least one sport in season all year around, Barcelli has accumulated a long list of school involvements comprised of advanced orchestra, jazz choir, the Spring Musical, Student Council, Captain’s Council, National Honor Society, Spring Leadership, the Duneland Athletic Conference Summit and Natural Helpers.
“I really just have to be busy all the time,” she said. “That’s the kind of person I am. With so many activities, it’s easy just to say, ‘I’m not bored.’ Definitely making sure that I get enough sleep is the hardest part.”
The multitalented PHS senior competed in the Distinguished Young Women Program as a junior, earning Third Finalist and Spirit of DYW honors.
Next year, Barcelli plans to attend Indiana University Bloomington to major in music performance.
“I’ve always liked music,” she said. “I actually started in fourth grade with my elementary school choir and I really just loved performing in front of everybody.”
Barcelli credits both her parents for their constant encouragement and said her mom and coach has been a pivotal part of who she is, both as a gymnast and as a person.
Karen Barcelli said it is difficult to separate her mother-daughter and coach-gymnast relationships with Mackenzie and believes that Mackenzie responds to her better than she would any other coach.
“She’s really done so well and I want to be proud of her as her mom, but with gymnastics, I’m her coach,” Karen Barcelli said. “I’m happy for any of the girls that do anything. I didn’t even realize until later how well she did individually [in the state meet], because we were there for one purpose, and that was to win as a team.”
Home school adviser and girls golf coach Tim Kunstek is also a very influential adult in Barcelli’s life.
“He probably knows me better than anyone in this school,” she said. “If I’m having a bad day, I know I can always just go talk to him and he’ll boost me up and let me know that I do all this stuff for a reason and have become the person I am because of the stuff that I do.”
As she draws within nine school weeks of graduating high school, Barcelli said she will miss being involved in everything that she does at PHS.
“There is so much offered in Portage, take advantage of it and anything you’re interested in, go for it,” Barcelli said when asked for her advice to an incoming freshman. “Even if it’s crazy and your friends don’t agree with it, just go for it because you’ll make friendships that are life long and memories that are amazing. You may even win a state championship.”