Take It Up: Diving’s Most Daunting Words

Boy on High Dive. Norman Rockwell. 1947.

By Danielle Repper, Swimming World College Intern

“Take it up.” The three most daunting words in the language of diving. Why is it that when we hear these three words, our hair ties snap? Why do we have a sudden onset of doubt and fear? This occurs because when it’s time to take a dive up, we break the barrier of our comfort zone. Often, our first instinct is to say, “Can I do one more lead-up before I go up?” Sometimes one or two more lead-ups gives us the reassurance we need to maximize our confidence. Other times, it takes more.

Now, what about those dives where no matter how many lead-ups you do, you don’t feel ready? As Dr. Alan Goldberg, sports performance consultant, stresses, “GET COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE. If you learn to live by these four, very basic words, they will help you take your physical talent as far as humanly possible. By staying physically and emotionally comfortable, staying in your comfort zone, you guarantee that you will stagnate as an athlete…success comes to those who regularly practice stepping outside of their comfort zone.”

Challenge yourself! You’ll be surprised what you are capable of, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. We all have a perception of what our individual comfort zones are, and we know what actions cross the line. Cross it! You must be willing to make an effort to push your limits. Start from the beginning, and test them. “

Being present and taking it one step at a time will allow for success, Paulina Guzman, former UCLA diver, said. Begin to make a routine of pushing yourself mentally, physically and emotionally, a little further every day. Push yourself through adversity. Do one more repetition, whether it’s an ab exercise or another dive. Lastly, focus your attention on your weaknesses. It may be difficult to face them, but avoiding them will push you farther away from success.

Photo Courtesy: Chuckarelei Studios

It is paramount to remember that your coach would not be telling you to “take it up,” if he/she did not believe you were ready.

North Carolina State head coach, Yahya Radman, says, “through my experience, I have found you have to have a rapport. You need to have a rapport with your athletes. When a coach has been with an athlete for while, a communicable bond is formed between the coach and the athlete. The athlete and the coach know what to expect from one another, and know how each other will respond. That being said, among college athletes I have found they do not want to disappoint their coach by failing, which often prevents them from taking the next step. Now, whether you fail the dive or you make it, once you get the dive off, it becomes a lot easier.”

Trust your abilities, trust your training, and trust yourself! You’ve put in hours and hours of training; don’t throw it all away!

“Take it up was a phrase that always made my heart beat a little faster,” Guzman said. “This phrase is a great test on trust. Your coach believes that you are 100 percent ready to take the next step. It is up to you to trust your training, hard work, and most importantly to believe in your abilities.”

We have much greater control over ourselves than we think. Of course there will be conditions and circumstances out of our control, but overcoming or adapting to the adversity is all part of the journey to success.

As Samantha Adams, senior diver on the University of Southern California diving team reinforces, “when my coach says ‘take it up’ my initial feeling is fear. However, I’ve learned that the most important thing is to control the controllable. I’ve realized that focusing on my fear doesn’t do any good. By focusing on the things that I can control, I know I will have a better outcome. I’ve learned to trust my abilities, trust my preparation, and trust the process.”

Don’t be afraid to “take it up.” Accept the challenge. Embrace the opportunity.

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Gino Svevo

8 years ago

Thanks . Great story . Love dad