Why Dive?

Why do I dive? People ask me this all the time: Why do I have this relentless obsession with hurling myself into the air while spinning and twisting in a determined effort to execute acrobatic maneuvers in the air before plunging through the all too quickly approach surface of the pool?

Perhaps it’s the thrill of mastering the laws of physics… the fundamental mechanics of this sometimes perilous endeavor are all based on simple principles of motion and dynamics… and perfectly planting a complex dive in exactly the place it was intended to land. There certainly is a raw thrill that comes from launching your body off the end of an aluminum springboard and, at just the right moment, throwing yourself into a high-speed spin; knowing full-well that if you lose track of your position and orientation in space the resulting smack will most likely be quite painful and even more so, quite embarrassing. Relatively speaking, there are a handful of people in this world who have the guts and the gall to attempt to defy gravity in such a manner. I think there’s a thrill-seeker in all of us. Some of us have the courage to let him out; others spend their lives secretly envious of those who can.

Perhaps it’s the magic of creating acrobatic artistry in the air... the ephemeral arcs and twists of a body twirling in space and then slipping through a liquid envelope with barely a splash. This is a sport that is judged on artistic execution as well as technical mastery. It’s more like dance than one might think… sure there are mechanics that must be mastered to enable the execution of this aerial art… but in the end, it really is that artistic grace and perfect form that scores a 10 over a 6. We all long to express ourselves artistically; and to develop an ability that enables the body itself to bring art into being, even if only in the brief span of time between leaving the board and breaking the water’s surface, surely that's a reason to take the plunge.

Of course, there’s also the bragging rights that come with possessing a skill set that so few can ever hope to have. What diver can resist throwing a perfect inward double or reverse one-and-a-half at a public pool, returning to the surface with a smile to find their friends’ mouths agape and a dozen lifeguards ready poised for a rescue. There’s just something irresistible about showing off what you’ve invested so much time, energy, and aspirin to be able to do. Sure it’s taken years to get to that point, but once you’re there, there’s no sense holding back. How many other people do you know, divers aside, who can flip and twist in the air with calculated precision and land without a splash in a pool of water ten feet below? It’s an unquestionably cool feeling when little kids stop to stare as you practice flips on a trampoline and their parents ask if you’ve ever been hurt. Most folks only dream of being able to try something like that and for you its just part of a daily routine.

But, there’s more to this than technical mastery or artistic expression or even showing off. There’s the undeniable sense of accomplishment that comes from an intense personal commitment to not only developing the skills needed to execute dives, but in developing oneself as a competitive athlete. A devotion to a healthy lifestyle, constant training, and the pursuit of an ever more refined and ever more complicated performance on the boards. The mental clarity and focus that’s required for most sports is even more critical here because of the complex motor skills and precision timing involved with each different dive. A diver is an athlete who is intimately aware of his balance, position, and orientation in space… a master of proprioception. Even the slightest change in trajectory or nuance in balance can generate dramatic and sometimes painful results. As such, a diver must be able to control every part of their body at all times to successfully execute any dive. To develop that kind of meticulous control is kind of like turning the body into an artistic machine that can execute complex mechanical maneuvers with grace and perfect form that result in an ephemeral work of art in motion.

So, why, at 28 years old, did I decide to dedicate myself to an athletic pursuit that is best learned at age 9? I think it’s the fantastic challenge of blending everything that I’ve mentioned together. It all has to be there to dive. There’s no question one has to be a little crazy to take up diving, especially at my age. Humans weren’t meant to flip and twist in the air. This is a sport that demands coordination, power, control, concentration, flexibility, and perfect balance… and to employ all of that at the same time and make it look easy takes dedication, patience, willingness to take risks, and a certain tolerance for pain and embarrassment. But, when you’ve accomplished that seemingly impossible task, it makes the countless hours, sore muscles, and ever-present aroma of chlorine entirely worth it. There’s also an intense freedom that comes from the need to clear my head each afternoon to focus on a single task at hand… it’s a requirement in this sport. When you’re about to send yourself hurtling toward an unforgiving plane of water, if your head isn’t in what you’re doing, you’re going to regret it.

What’s diving ever going to do for my life? Well, it may not be immediately obvious, but diving has changed my life in profound ways. For starters, I’m in better physical condition now than I’ve ever been in my entire life… with the body and muscle tone to prove it. I’m also stronger, more flexible, and far more coordinated than ever before. But, those physical changes only scratch the surface. My embrace of diving has shifted my entire approach toward life into a far more relaxed gear. I think back to the not so distant past when I was working over a hundred hours a week and traveling the world at warp speed… after more years of that lifestyle than I care to remember it almost killed me on more than one occasion. You only get one ride on this planet, so why not take control of our lives and enjoy every minute of it? I enjoy every day more now than I have since I can remember.

Diving has helped me to find the balance between work and life… I work hard, but on my own terms. I remain financially sound, but I’ve rearranged my priorities to put enjoying the day much higher on the list than it used to be. Even though I’m committed to growing a young company and pursuing my life’s work creating entertainment experiences the world hasn’t even imagined yet, you’ll still find me at the pool for four hours every single day… rain or shine, 100 degrees in the summer or 45 degrees in the winter (yes, it's an outdoor pool). Even when I’m on the road, be it in rural Iowa or central China, I make time to throw myself into whatever pool I can find. For me, diving has become my refuge from the chaos that life throws at us every day… a physically demanding yet ultimately rewarding sanctuary where I can grow as an athlete and as a person.