Divers head to Bucknell University

Athletes at Big Spring continue to show their competitiveness and hard work as this weekend, divers Shannon McCabe and Dillon Novak travel to Bucknell University to compete in the State Diving competition for the 3rd time. McCabe said, “I am going to compete an 11-dive list.” An 11-dive list occurs at championship/invitational competitions and divers have to perform a series of dives in different directions as well as an optional dive. McCabe’s favorite dives to show off are the reverse one and a half, back one and a half, and a forward one and a half. Novak on the other hand, enjoys forward one a halves, forward two and a halves, and an inward one and a half.

Going to States this weekend is going to give both divers the opportunity to showcase their many skills as well as improve upon last year’s. Given multiple chances to go to States, McCabe said that this year she hopes to place higher than last year and Novak feels the same way hoping to keep his place from previous years. McCabe’s most memorable moment from last year was when she medaled despite hitting the board during her dive. Ever since she was four, McCabe has been jumping off of the diving board and despite this, she still gets nervous right before a performance. McCabe said, “I will feel confident right until I get there then I get really nervous and then I bring it together I guess.” Her 13 year diving career began when she was in gymnastics and took swim lessons at a very young age. It really took off when she first jumped off of the diving board and fell in love. Ever since then, she has been a part of the school teams, club teams, had multiple coaches, and has practiced and trained for many hours to build herself up to moments like these.

Novak has been practicing and diving for only 4 years but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to continue. His most memorable moment from States last year was placing as the State runner up last year and placing 11th the year before. “I really had nothing better to do one summer.” Novak said. “I knew I liked jumping off the board at open swims so, I decided to learn how to do it better.” Driving hours away to practice and spending majority of his summers at the pool, Novak feels more than confident  traveling to Bucknell this weekend. For the past two weeks, he has been preparing his dives non stop and building up to the weekend.

Planning to continue this sport in college, both McCabe and Novak shared some of their favorite and least favorite moments from diving. “I really like the atmosphere and the friends I have met but I dislike how any day you could be judged way harder than your competition and it will show at the end of the competition because a diver will not place well. I also dislike that high schoolers cannot compete 3 meter unless they are in a club team.” said McCabe. On the other hand, Novak said, “I have committed to La Salle University to dive.” Despite the awful chlorine burns and dry skin from being in the pool so often, Novak has no fears continuing this sport into his college years.