Five divers succeed in silence

By JENNIFER BARTOLINI
Collegian Staff Writer

At the start of every home meet, parents, friends, students and alumni gather in the stands of McCoy Natatorium to watch the Penn State women's swimming and diving team.

For most fans in the crowd, watching the swimmers isn't a problem. Races take place in the pool closest to them, the loudspeaker announces the names of the racers in each event and times are posted on the large scoreboard along the back wall.

But what about the divers?

One- and three-meter competition takes place in the diving pool located on the other end of the natatorium, far from the view of most spectators. A voice over a low-volume microphone announces who is diving -- barely audible to those sitting in the stands. Also, no diving results are posted on any scoreboard and final results for the diving competition remain unannounced.

"I don't mind it that much," said freshman diver Becky Crane. "It's like we have our own little private space, but I have heard complaints from people who come to watch us."

For most divers, this combination swimming and diving team is a new experience at the collegiate level. In high school and age-group competition, divers are given equal time in the spotlight.

Junior diver Jaime Jaax said because the diving team isn't given as much recognition as the swimming, it is often considered by some to be less of a sport.

"Some people brush diving off as not really a sport," she said. "It is just as strenuous as any other sport. I've been asked so many times, 'How do you get hurt in diving?' "

The team practices twice a day, in the morning and again in the afternoon. Its workouts consist of weight training as well as board work. Its performance at dual meets is also important because where each diver finishes determines how many points are added to the Penn State total. This also holds true for the Big Ten Championships.

The Penn State diving portion of the swimming and diving team consists of five members: senior Amy Wade, juniors Amy Bascomb, Melanie Jackson and Jaax and freshman Crane. These five women bring very different backgrounds and levels of experience to the team, but together under coach Craig Brown function as a very cohesive unit.

Wade, from State College, has been diving for eight years. She has missed her senior season after breaking her leg in November. She still leads the team and her absence has really been felt this year. From poolside she has watched her team gain strength as the season has progressed. Because of her injury she was unable to watch practice for over a month, and upon returning found a very different team.

"When I came back, I couldn't believe how much they improved," she said. "No one knows the depth this team has."

Jaax has been a constant at the top of the depth chart. Because of shoulder surgery she missed half of her freshman year and all of her sophomore season. Making up for lost time, Jaax defeated every Big Ten competitor she has faced this season, and will attend her first Big Ten Championships Feb. 18-20 where she has potential to place high.

"I'm really excited to go," she said. "I've spectated for two years. It will all come down to how mentally ready I am."

Jackson, a diver for 15 years from Portland, Ore., will certainly be ready for her third trip to Big Tens. For Jackson, being combined with the swimmers doesn't bother her at all, in fact, she sees it as a source of motivation.

"When they're doing so well," she said, "it tells us we need to get our butts in gear."

Bascomb, the third junior, came to Penn State from Victor, N.Y. Brown is very pleased with the progress she has made this season. At last Saturday's meet against Northwestern, Bascomb placed third on the three-meter boards.

"Amy really dove within herself," Brown said. "She has been having great workouts. She needs to dive like that in competition."

The youngest member of the team is Crane. The Newtown, Conn. native said that not only has her diving improved since she came here, but so has her confidence in her diving.

"I've never had such serious, committed, intense training," she said.

Though she competes as the extra diver because each team is only allowed three competitors, she feels this will change over time as she develops and sharpens her skills and gains experience.

While the swimming team is under the command of first-year coach Bill Dorenkott, 14-year veteran Brown, a former Penn State diver himself, coaches the divers. He is described as a positive, upbeat and unconventional coach who makes diving fun.

"He gets frustrated with us on a daily basis," Jaax said. "But he rarely yells and screams. It's a big difference from any other coach I've had."

The diving team joins its swimming counterparts at noon Saturday to take on Iowa.