It started twelve years ago for Tony and will most likely continue for another four years in college. I distinctly remember being at the Olympic trials hosted by SMU in Dallas when they could not have been more than four years old. Squinting against the sun they watched diver after diver complete difficult twists and turns off the spring boards and platforms. At one point Tony turned to David, eyes wide with amazement, shouting "how cool is this?" That began his love for this sport. It seemed to go hand in hand with their gymnastics and along with the opportunity to place them in a feeder program at UT Knoxville run by Dave Parrington, Tony's love affair with diving was firmly planted. He showed no fear and continued to build more difficult dive lists over the years.
Just a week ago we attended the McCallie Invitational and for the first time it was hard for me to watch. His dives are "big" now. Front 3 1/2's off a 1 meter board makes my heart stop. I stare at his feet and the end of the board making sure his not to far back or to far forward, then I hold my breath. What emerges from the depths of the dive well is a strong, confident young man. I remember when he was so small the board did not move under his weight. Now I see the small sliver of a dive board bend in response of his perfect hurdle and then fly into the air completing the same difficult twists and turns he saw fourteen years ago. How cool is that?
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