Washington’s Lily Belle Barker double-dipping once again

CEDAR RAPIDS — Lily Belle Barker's mantra has always been "team first."

Even when she is competing for two teams simultaneously.

During her first three years at Cedar Rapids Washington, Barker swam in the fall, played basketball in the winter, then doubled up playing tennis and golf in the spring.

With the tennis season moving to fall for 2025, Barker now is doing the double with swimming to begin her final year with the Warriors.

"Lily Belle is a girl that every coach wants to have," said longtime Washington girls’ swimming coach Megan Lewis. "She is positive, works hard but doesn't take it too seriously. She (puts) the team before anything, yet works to make herself better."

In a time where specialization is becoming more common, especially at bigger schools, Barker not only competes in four sports, she excels.

She already has been a three-time state qualifier in swimming and golf. As a golfer, Barker helped the Warriors to a second-place finish at state last spring and a fourth-place finish in 2024. She is a two-time state tennis qualifier in doubles and was part of the Warriors state championship team in 2023.

This winter, Barker will be in your fourth year as a key member of the Washington basketball team. She averaged more than 11 points a game as a junior and 10 a game as a sophomore.

So which one is her favorite?

"After almost four years of playing each, it really does depend on the season," she said. "Right after basketball I miss it so much, but then in the spring I want it to be swimming season again.

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"If I had to pick it would be between golf and basketball, but I love all four and not just the sport themselves but all my teams that I compete with."

In the eyes of Washington girls’ tennis coach Sam Koeppl, Barker's "attitude and mindset" are the keys to her success.

"There has never been a complaint about being too tired or not wanting to do something for her team," he said. "She is someone everyone wants on a team from the cheering, to leadership, to her on court abilities."

Barker is quick to add she is lucky to have coaches willing to accommodate the challenges of playing dual schedules.

"I feel like I have always been competitive and love all the sports I do," she said. "I also have great coaches who are easy to talk to and are very understanding of all the conflicts that make it very manageable."

Although Barker is a two-time state tennis doubles qualifier, she has never actually played at state. Both years she qualified for doubles with former teammate Mya Messenger, the state meet conflicted with state golf forcing Barker (and Messenger) to make the decision to pick golf over tennis.

No conflicts exist between tennis and swimming, so Barker could be competing in two state events this fall.

"I love her chances of making state," Koeppl said. "We talked at the start of the year and she is extremely excited to be able to finally participate in the individual tournament so whatever draw we get I really like her chances."

Lewis remembers working with Barker at a young age.

"I had worked with her when she was very little so I knew the kind of ability she would bring," Lewis said. "I said to her parents after her first high school meet that I thought she could qualify for state and she hasn't let me down."

Once golf season ends in the spring, Barker's whirlwind athletic career also will likely be done. She plans on attending college, but still is exploring her options.

"At the moment I’ve decided to not play a sport at a higher level and to focus on school," she said. "I think after soon-to-be 16 seasons at Wash I’m ready to not always have something going on."