An Important First Step

A goal set, a goal met. The plan in place is to keep progressing.

Colorado State divers Riley Lee and Sydney Ovesen took care of qualifying for the NCAA Zone E Championships during the season – each doing it on both springboards. Now, they actually get to compete, with the plan to keep doing so in the future.

That makes this first attempt a valued step.

"I would say the expectation is for them to learn from this experience. With it being their first time qualifying, that's really the biggest takeaway, is doing what they know how the best they're able but learning as much as they can," first-year CSU diving coach Seth O'Dea said. "After you qualify, there's that expectation to qualify again as we continue on.

"So, them being in this position, having this experience will only better prepare them to perform well next time. We don't necessarily have that expectation of qualifying (for NCAAs) the first time we go, we want to learn so we can be better prepared."

The competition takes place March 9-11 at the Wall Aquatic Center at Northern Arizona, where the Rams have competed before. That familiarity is of some comfort, especially for Ovesen, who feels the lighting there is perfect. The two will perform Monday on the 1-meter, doing 3-meter on Tuesday. Preliminary rounds start at 11:30 a.m., each day, followed by the finals.

On the 1-meter, the top six placers will qualify for the NCAA Championships in Atlanta: on 3-meter, it's the top seven. There are more than 50 qualifiers on each board, with 30 western teams represented.

The first order of business for both of them is to take it all in and simply perform.

"I'm hoping to have fun and to make memories because I'm going to know a lot of people there because a lot of the schools that are going are from my side of the country on the West Coast," said Lee, a sophomore. "I'm just looking forward to catching up with some people from club and doing my dives the best I'm able and representing CSU as best as I can."

Ovesen, a freshman who was All-Mountain West on 3-meter, wants to make the trip with an open mind, focused on learning what she can.

Regardless of what the scores tell her – and the judging is typically tight at these meets – she'll go by feel about how she's performing, understanding coping with the pressure is part of the deal.

"I think that with every meet comes pressure and this is one of those bigger-pressure meets because there's something really big at the end of it," she said. "It's like at conference when you put pressure on yourself and once you let yourself actually feel the pressure you'll notice yourself kind of decline in your performance so it's kind of a way to learn how to not let that pressure get in your head so that next time you can go from there and try and perform better."

Next time is definitely in the plan.

They know the field is stacked and will include divers who have competed on the national stage. The youngsters have seen what really good looks up to this point, though they expect that image to be expanded.

The anticipation is to see what advanced dives are being done, tricks they may want to add to their lists in the future. A bit of compare and contrast if only to challenge themselves.

"There's gonna be a lot of competition looking at lists this weekend. Usually me and Riley are one of the only ones doing a 5333 on 1-meter and there's at least 10 other girls doing it, so seeing that is like, whoa like I'm not the only one doing this standout dive anymore," Ovesen said. "I just want to be proud of myself for being there doing the dives, and as we always say, if it goes to my head then I'm happy.

"There are seniors who are doing lists with an 18.4 (degree of difficulty) and we're over here with a 16, and that's just a huge gap when it comes to dives. Just seeing that actually be done and executed will definitely be something like, holy crap I want to strive to be like that."

Every step becomes a progression, Zones representing one moving forward.

They don't come easily, either, making the duo appreciate the one they are about to take. No matter what happens, where they place or how they score, an accomplishment has already been achieved. This trip is for them and what they can turn it into down the road.

"I think I'm proud of myself for going because like last year I didn't even get a zones cut, and this year I got my zones cut on both boards, so I'm excited that," Lee said. "I proved that to myself that I made it happen for myself, but I like want to prove it to myself that I can do well regardless of what scores I get."

As a first-year coach, O'Dea can definitely see this as a boon. He has two young divers who have reached this level, both fully understanding there is more to pursue. Going once is great, but the expectations will only grow.

Best to see what they are after up close and personal.

"I would say a successful trip would be them having a positive mental attitude throughout the experience and being proud of just making it to this meet but also being proud of doing what they've been doing all year well at this level," he said. "So, taking some of that pressure off, but still knowing that they can compete and they can perform well."

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