KEAAU – There were no shortage of belly flops and back smacks – big splashes when a small ripple was the intention – and each drew a collective “ow” or “ooh” at Kamehameha’s Naeole Pool.
For many first-year BIIF divers, it’s hard to climb the steep learning curve without feeling a sting.
“It wasn’t a zero,” coordinator Kristine Dahlquist said Thursday after one dive. “That’s our mantra.”
The first round started with a back dive, which was somewhat of an adventure, understandably, until Waiakea twins Kaitlin and Marissa Iwahashi stepped up and exuded a little more confidence. The juniors are in their second year in the sport and, with the pain that is panic mostly behind them, are making gains.
“It’s a lot easier this year because we’re not as scared,” Kaitlin Iwahashi said. “Everyone is kind of scared, but than you get past it. Once we got used to it, we stopped being scared.”
Both sisters have gymnastics backgrounds, which is helpful to a point, though the landings are different.
If doubt does creep in, Marissa Iwahashi said, “I kind of just blank it out. If you over-think it, you mess up more.”
Through six dives, Kaitlin Iwahashi narrowly bested her sister, 156.15-154.80, though each will have to expand their repertoire to 11 dives to compete at BIIFs.
Hawaii Prep senior Ethan Stake quickly ripped his way to 11 long after the others headed for the showers, and he didn’t always look like a first-year diver while doing it.
“I really want to learn to do a back flip on a flat ground,” Stake said. “That’s why I’m here.”
He’s not there yet, but give him a meter between board and water and he’s working his way to a one and half somersault.
“There’s probably less of a fear factor for me,” he said. “I just go for it.”
Thanks to his full program, Stake finished far ahead with 232.90 points, but Hilo junior Kore Ohumukini (171.25) and HPA freshman Ford Stallsmith (150.70) also looked like contenders.
Ohumukini wasn’t just the only Viking at the meet, but who knows the last time Hilo had a football player/diver.
“Some of my teammates say, “Oh. that’s cool. Some are like what?’” he said.
Athletic off the board, Ohumukini could have scored higher if he completed his dives by tucking his toes.
“Not used to it yet, being football player,” he said. “This is mental.”
The others who had qualifying dives were Waiakea’s Natalie Mendoza and Daniel Briski and Kamehameha’s Dylan Dumlao.
Missing from the meet were a few HPA divers, including Joar Berglund, a former national gymnast from Sweden who won the season’s first meet earlier in the month.
Last season saw a big increase in diver participation across the BIIF, and this season the outlook is even brighter, Dahlquist said, with well more than 20 participants.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “I’m really happy diving is back, and I’m trying my best to promote it.”