Footsteps - Diver Spotlight on Jaime Sanger

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Fort Lauderdale provided the perfect Sanger-setting for the 2001 U.S. National Diving Championships. An outdoor venue, 1-meter springboard and national title, Jaime couldn't have asked for more.

"My dad is a truck driver, so he's able to attend a lot of meets," Jaime said. "But, he's allergic to chlorine. He usually has to stand outside until I dive. He makes friends with a lot of the volunteers."

At the International Swimming Hall of Fame, Tom was able to take in the entire contest. He saw every rip Jaime executed en route to her 282.21 total on 1-meter. The 0.54-point difference separating Sanger from Kimiko Hirai Soldati was enough to give Jaime her first national title.

"I can't even explain how hard I worked that summer," Sanger said. "Danielle Stramandi and I lived and trained together. She trained like Rocky. We were up every day at 5 a.m.

"Danielle was studying for the MCAT and I was taking chemistry. I was also seeing a sports psychologist to work on my visualizing and breathing. I would get overly excited in the finals.

"I didn't think things would click, but then I thought anything was easier than what I was doing. I had been taking baby steps on 1-meter, so seeing it come together was fun."

According to Jaime, her coach's reaction to the performance was also fun. Typically reserved on deck, Dave Parrington let everyone in attendance know he enjoyed his diver's accomplishment.

"Dave doesn't show much emotion when we dive, but my dad said he would jump out of his chair. That was really cool. I don't know, maybe he does it when we're under water."

A former Olympic diver and coach, Parrington is in his 14th year at the helm of the University of Tennessee. During that time, he coached Tracy Bonner and Kathy Pesek to a World Championships bronze medal on synchronized 3-meter.

"I never would have gone to Tennessee if Dave hadn't recruited me," Sanger said. "I saw him in magazines for coaching Bonner and Pesek. I was intimidated by him just looking at me. I had huge footsteps to follow."

Jaime admits it took her awhile to "get into reality her freshman year", but she and Parrington have been clicking ever since. Under his guidance, Sanger was a nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award; a two-time SEC Diver of the Year, All-American on 1-meter and NCAA finalist on 1-meter; three-time SEC 1-meter champion; and a four-year member of the Lady Vol Honor Roll.

Finishing her senior year on a high note, Sanger made her first appearance on the USA Diving National Team and her first senior international trip. She was second on 1-meter and fifth on 3-meter at the 2003 Speedo National Diving Championships in Indianapolis.

"I've always had the 1-meter to fall back on, but I've trained really hard on 3-meter the last few years," Sanger said.

"Ripping has been my biggest problem. Putting a list together and finally seeing something fulfilled was motivating.

"Diving has become a ripfest the past couple of years. If you put a dive in clean, you're going to get a good score."

With a strong showing in Indianapolis, Jaime was given the opportunity to put her dives in at the World University Games. The trip to South Korea gave Sanger the opportunity to have a Minnesota reunion.

"Dan (Croaston), Sara (Hildebrand) and I started diving around the same time in Minnesota. It was great to be on the World University Games team with them, because we pushed each other growing up.

"The trip was a blast. It was a great opportunity. I learned a lot and got to seeing diving on the world stage," Sanger said.

With collegiate, national and international experience under her belt, Jaime hopes to attend graduate school at UT and train for 2008. She recently graduated with an exercise science degree but would like to have an MBA to "fall back on."

"I want to coach part time too," Sanger said. "I've been working with a sub-group of Tennessee Diving. It's nice to take off the suit and coach next to Dave.

"I'm a big stressball and I'll probably have grey hair by the time I'm 25. I'm trying to coach, train and go to school, and I'm still looking for the college social life. But, it's all a learning process."

Sanger can pass some lessons down to UT's current divers. Lauryn McCalley has become Jaime's training partner and the guys provide a fun atmosphere.

Make no mistake, Jaime has left them some footsteps to follow.