Push of the heel, lifting of the body and propulsion off the diving board is what guides these athletes into the water with a perfect dive. Within frigid temperatures the HHS dive squad practices throughout the week under Parks and Rec’s gigantic bubble. Richard Morrell is once again coaching both the diving and swimming teams this year. With a new season and new divers, he thinks it’s a perfect combination for success.

“[With a new season comes] new opportunities, chances for ribbons and medals, best times, new friendships, team building, and that every year starts off with a promise,” Morrell said.

A lot of strong new divers and swimmers have joined this year to fill the graduated senior’s shoes. Morrell has high expectations for this coming season and can see all three of his divers qualifying for states. So far, this year’s dive team consists of three men, but no females.

“There is a lot of hope there, but there are some big shoes to try and fill,” Morrell said.

In terms of diving the team has always had an athlete qualify for the state competition, as long as coach Morrell has been here and even prior to that. There has always been a strong women’s and men’s team.

“For divers, we just start at where we left of the year before and try to expand on that,” Morrell said. One of the divers last year, Abner Johnson, placed in the state competition.

“We don’t have any women divers at this, but I have two young ladies that are thinking about that,” Morrell said. If theses ladies were to, then they would need to perform 11 competition dives for the tournament at the end of the season.

As the only conference that has diving in the region and state level, the athletes are competing the same competition as divers would see in the VHSL tournament.

Abner Johnson, who finished second last year in states, has his ambition set high and would like to finish first this season. With new opportunities, Johnson plans on learning “some new tricks” this winter in time for the tournament.

“I used to have a pool in my backyard, and always used to dive off it,” Johnson said. This was the spark that created a younger Johnson into state champion material.

Diving may come as an unusual sport for most people. Granted that we are the only conference, the practices come as a one on one focus, private coach environment that allows for the athlete to learn from their mistakes more easily.

Continue to stay up to date with this year’s two lone male divers throughout their season as they strive for the title of diving state champion.