A quote from Eleanor Roosevelt hangs on a bulletin board in Ohio University’s Aquatic Center near the diving boards:
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
The quote also sums up the season for Ohio’s diving team.
With four out of five Ohio divers qualifying for the NCAA Diving Zones in March, there is still plenty of competition left this year. And because all four are underclassmen, the coming seasons look promising as well.
Sophomores MaryRose Hillstrom and Kristin Capcik, along with freshmen Haleigh Bartlett and Morgan Srail, have all qualified for the Diving Zones. Ohio has had more divers qualify for that event this year than the four previous years combined and having four divers qualify in one year for Diving Zones is a first in program history.
Capcik dubbed the divers the “Ragtag Bunch.” She said she first described the group as ragtag when they were walking to the weight room one day, and they all looked disheveled. The nickname has since developed into a cheer the five divers say before they compete.
The divers attribute their lighthearted attitude to the success they have had this year. At least one of the divers is always in a good mood during practice and can get the other divers on track if they are having a bad day.
Once, when Capcik was having an off day, Srail imitated a whale in the water to brighten her spirits. The same mannerisms also extend to their diving coach Russ Dekker.
Dekker is in his eighth year as Ohio’s head diving coach. In some ways, he’s as jovial as the divers, which allows them to get along very well.
Capcik, who will be competing in the Diving Zones for the first time this year, said coach Dekker always lightens the mood to create a great practice environment.
“He’s always cracking jokes, even if they’re at your expense,” Capcik said.
“He’s just very chill and doesn’t put pressure on you, doesn’t make you feel bad if you’re having a bad day.”
Bartlett and Srail have quickly made their marks with the Bobcats. The teammates are also roommates who push each other to the limit.
And they have climbed into Ohio’s record book in the process. Bartlett and Srail hold the second- and third-best scores in school history in the 3-meter diving category.
Dekker said he is very proud of his two freshman divers.
“I’m thrilled,” he said. “I think they’re both doing a fantastic job. I still think they have a lot of potential to tap into and a lot of growth to do just being halfway through your freshman year.”
The divers also said they are proud of their accomplishments, and Srail said it will bode well for the future.
“It means a lot to me because of the experience that you can gain by having that extra year at Zones and, hopefully, going every year,” she said. “I’m just excited to go there, have fun and get the experience I need for years to come.”
Dekker said it was a goal for all the divers to qualify for zones, and he said their youth makes it more exciting.
“To have four — none of them being seniors who were graduating — makes it even that much more special,” he said.
Head coach Greg Werner said the success is a direct result of their hard work with Dekker.
“Anytime you can talk about a first, you’re saying something,” Werner said.
“That’s just indicative of the work that they’ve done down there, the work that coach Dekker’s done and the environment they have on a daily basis.”
Hillstrom said she is looking forward to what the group accomplishes at Zones.
“I feel that we’re all really close, we’ve all bonded, and I’m just really excited to see what we can do,” she said.
The Ragtag Bunch might not have much form when they’re exhausted after practice, but their diving tells a different story.
mk277809@ohiou.edu
