Whenever a diver gets up on the high dive they are faced with a tough decision: jump or don’t jump.

If they decide to do the first, then as they tumble to the water, an assortment of twists and flips are required for them to receive a good score from judges.

All of this has to be accomplished without hitting their head on the board or blowing their dive and landing on their back. Throw in the noise the crowd makes during events and it makes for one harrowing experience whenever a diver gets up on the board.

“People think diving is so much easier than swimming, but coming from someone who swims and dives, diving is a completely different sport,” freshman Katie Hausmann said.

“When you’re swimming you just go out there and do it, but when you dive you have to be in a controlled state of mind.  It’s a whole different ballgame.”

Diving demands focus and mental composure at all times.  Failure to do so opens the door for injuries and unforced errors.

So why do it?  Why would someone want to place themselves on a pedestal where everyone in attendance can see them mess up?

“I ask myself that every time I get up there,” freshman Molly McElligott said.

Both divers admitted that a big reason to dive is the feeling they experience each time they take the plunge.

“There is a bit of a thrill when you do it.  I mean, you can’t help but feel that rush when you jump,” McElligott said.

Each diver on the team knows roughly 15 different dives for both the one-and-three meter boards.  They practice every dive several times each day at practice.

“You never really master a dive,” McElligott said.  “You just try to do better each time and pay more attention to the dives that need work.”

Focus, determination and nerves of steel are essential for any good diver, but head coach Joel Rollings noted that the divers on the team who are more comfortable with the sport often have gymnastics backgrounds.

It also helps to have teammates that can pick you when nothing seems to go right.

“We’re like a big family out there when we are cheering each other on,” Hausmann said.  “That’s one of the things that really keeps us going because even on our really bad days, we still have each other.”