Since 2002, SCHS students have been diving into the crystalline water of the gym’s pool, each with a strong determination and a desire to win meets for the upcoming season. The 2010-2011 Stoney Creek Dive team is no exception. On August 11th, weeks before the school year was set to start, the nine team members were assembled to begin the season. Keeping their eyes set on the prize of winning, and enduring the hard work required, takes focus. Conditioning and training is only the starting point for this work.”We’re really conscious of what we do,” said Sarah Olechowski, new to the dive team this year. “We have to flip, spin, jump, and land perfectly in the water in a matter of seconds. If we lose track of our feet, we could injure our ankles on the diving board. If we forget where our head is, we could smack the water or the board. It takes more flexibility and strength than most people realize.”.
Injuries do happen, but the determination of a Stoney Creek diver is incredible. A flop off the board can give the diver a sore face for a week, but in a matter of minutes, that girl is back up on the board and fixing her mistake. The team is also very supportive of every member, despite her mistakes or victories. 
Meets are mandatory, simple as that. Even if a diver isn’t qualified to compete that day, she must watch and observe. As there is no difference in the varsity level of the diver, there is no difference in how the girls are treated individually. “We all band together, and even the newest diver and the one who has done this for years know each other well by the end of the season,” said second-year diver Julia Mead. “We’re all Cougars, fighting for the same goal.”
At the end of practice, as the girls hydrate themselves and take a breath, their coach Gwen Anderson talks to the girls collectively, with a smile on her face. “We made progress today,” Anderson reminds, “and we’re on the road to a great season. We’re the Stoney Creek High School Dive team—what more can you say?” So as the girls go home and the pool water becomes still, the Victory Board looks down upon the diving area. There’s a spot on the board for another winning year—and this year’s team is just the right group of SCHS students to bring home a win.
By Shannon Moyer
Student Journalist at Stoney Creek High School
