Top Diving Achievements
I was hurt for over a year straight (first I stretched a nerve complex in my neck, then I separated my shoulder, then I broke a bone in my ankle in two places), and I got so frustrated that I almost quit. I thought that I couldn’t train hard enough to get that time back and that I’d never be competitive again, but to be able to come back and do just that is more rewarding than any one performance. I did thoroughly enjoy getting third at World University Games though.
How long have you been diving:
I think I started when I was seven.
What diving teams have you been a member of?
The Springfield Tigersharks (at my neighborhood pool), York Dive Club, Montgomery Dive Club, the University of Arizona, and the University of Texas
What are your hobbies outside of diving?
I like basically every sport, except basketball and volleyball because I am entirely incapable of playing them well. I also read a lot, play Guitar Hero and Rockband, and absolutely demolish my friends (except Matt Cooper) in ping pong.
 What do you do between dives at competitions?
I listen to music and walk around/dance foolishly to try to keep my mind off of my next dive. My favorite song at nationals was the theme song from Footloose.
What's in your iPod right now?
I like to listen to my iPod on shuffle, but some of my favorites are Rascal Flatts, Dave Barnes, Mat Kearney, Matt Wertz, Counting Crows, and Garth Brooks.
If you could meet anyone, who would it be?
If it had to be a living person, I’d probably choose Robin Williams, because that man is funny. If it could be a dead person, I’d take Abe Lincoln in a heartbeat.
What is your favorite dive to do?
305b.
What has been your biggest obstacle?
Apart from injury, it’s been that I get in my own way sometimes. When I let myself get afraid or I sell myself short before a meet even starts is when I get into trouble.
What is your favorite food?
Cheese fries…no doubt.
Who has inspired you the most?
I’m inspired by everything. I think that everyone I meet brings something into my life that I might have otherwise missed out on, and I think that every experience I have should teach me something about myself or about the world that can make me better.
What is your favorite TV show?
Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Grey’s Anatomy, Top Chef, and The Wire. I also watch a lot of news.
What are your favorite movies?
Spy Game, The Wedding Date, Blood Diamond, Crash, The Holiday, The Godfather, and Pretty Woman.
What city is your favorite to visit?
Washington, D.C. It’s my hometown, but I’m there so rarely that it’s a treat to see my family and friends at home now.
If you could do any other sport, what would it be and why?
Tennis is my passion. Abby’s passion is soccer, and I could do that too, but I’d chose tennis first because I could simultaneously play a sport and wear a dress if I was a tennis star.
What is your most embarrassing “diving moment?”
I somehow lack the part of the personality that causes people to get embarrassed, so although I do ridiculous things very frequently, I’m never bothered. Sorry to disappoint.
What is the best advice you have received from a diving coach?
John Wolsh told me starting my first day on his team that being a competitor is about exuding confidence.
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