Juniors Becca Myers and Adyson Lewis competed in the State Diving Competition on Saturday, Feb. 17, but both divers did not make it past the preliminary round. This was both girls’ third State appearance, and they are looking forward to improving during the off-season for their senior season.
“It’s just fun to be able to compete at the highest level,” Myers said. “To be on the State team is pretty cool because it means you’re one of the top competitors.”
Myers joined the diving team her freshman year. Myers’ sister dove for MHS, and Myers said she has enjoyed following in her sister’s footsteps.
Myers said she tries not to let facing high-level State competition bother her.
“I don’t really look at the competition because sometimes it makes me nervous,” Myers said. “I just wanted to do better than I did last year.”
Lewis said she was looking forward to the State competition since her last diving season.
“You get all these different people from different parts of Missouri who have different tabs (patterns of dives), and you get to see all these really cool dives,” Lewis said.
Lewis said the competition is an important bonding experience for the team. Because the competition took place in St. Louis, the diving team ate breakfast, lunch and dinner together during the competition.
Lewis said she began diving before her freshman year and built upon her gymnastics background to master the dives. She joined the team her freshman year.
“It’s a really big mental sport. It takes a lot of motivation and drive to do it,” Lewis said.
Joe Schoedel, swim and dive coach, said a major focus for the team’s six divers has been getting comfortable with diving.
“Certain dive positions are scarier than others, and of course any time they learn a new dive, there is fear that has to be overcome,” Schoedel said.
Myers and Lewis have been diving well all season, Schoedel said, so he was not surprised at their qualification for State.
“I sometimes have to remind myself not to take the talent that we have for granted,” Schoedel said. “Anytime someone can make the State team, that’s a huge deal.”
