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Rookie Ricks places first

Sophie Han ’27

Jan 24, 2025

Last Saturday, Mercersburg’s diving team kicked off its home season with a solid performance. With a larger team than in past years, the group has been working hard on both individual performances and team chemistry. The athletes’ progress is steady as they look toward the upcoming MAPL meet and Eastern Championships.

First-place finisher Trevi Ricks ’28 summarized the highlights. "I had a rocky incident in the warm-ups during one of my jumps where my feet hit the board, but my dives were good, and my hard work paid off," Ricks said. "The team did really great. A lot of people were nervous before their dives, but you couldn't even tell because they did so well and dove confidently."

The strong results resulted from many factors. Ali Young ’26 said, "Our team is really focused this season, and it's great to see both returning divers and new teammates stepping up. Practices have been hard, but quality time in the hot tub always helps. It's a good way for us to relax and connect as a team after working hard." 

Head diving coach Frank Betkowski explained, "Our team this year has twice as many divers as we have had in past years, having to do with the decision to not cut anybody. Our returning divers are in great shape. Ricks is new this year and a great addition. The boys, all new, tend to learn pretty fast. I'd say the team is looking pretty good." 

The team has been making significant progress in their training, focusing on individual improvement. “We have divers with different experiences and familiarities with the team or the sport; regardless of it, each of our personalized plans [contributes] collectively to our team,” said Anouk Wandeler ’26.

Despite the individualized training, the divers feel very connected. Eve Gunkelman ’28 added, “Mr B’s and the seniors’ feedback for me after every dive keeps me on track. Even when we occasionally mess up dives, we tend to laugh it off and focus on getting better.”

The team's work during the season builds toward significant events like the MAPL Championships and the Eastern Championships. Will Donovan ’25 noted, "I'm personally working on going to the Eastern Championships meet in February like many of our other divers. For many of us, this weekend is only our first meet of the season." 

Betkowski elaborated, “Some people learned new dives this week in preparation leading up to this meet, and there are divers [that competed for] the first time in front of judges. However, our ultimate goal is to earn as [many] points as possible in the Eastern Championships to help the program, so the meets leading up to it are good opportunities for us to practice and compete.”

With the strong performances this weekend, the team is poised for a promising season under the leadership of their coach and seniors. The positive energy and determination the divers have committed to the team demonstrate serious preparation for the upcoming MAPL and Eastern Championships.

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