Stars in Danger – Part 2
I have a huge setback on my 8th training day. I get a concussion from attempting an inward dive (jump off backwards, and then dive forwards- yikes). This dive totally feeds into my childhood fear of hitting my head on the board, but what I do instead is hit the water with the side of my head, way hard. After a visit to the ER and to a neurologist, I am pronounced non-brain damaged, but I am ordered to rest for 2 days. Whaaaa? I cannot stop training, I suck at all my dives and I am going to get behind and and and… Karl Warden, my coach, reassures me I will be ready for competition day at the end of the week, but I don’t believe him.
Back at the pool, I am badly shaken by the concussion (or whatever it was that made me slur my words and lose my balance for half an hour), and I regress: my fear of heights comes back. I am also tired of hurting – my shoulders, stiff from flinging my arms up; my thighs, stinging from hitting the water wrong over and over; my head, sensitive from the incident a few days ago. The wetsuit I am wearing to protect me somewhat doesn’t stop me from hurting almost every time I hit the water. The one bright spot is that I am now paired with David Chokachi for the synchronized dive. I feel less scared up on the 5 meter platform with David next to me. Having such a strong connection with my dive partner gives me courage and helps raise my game. Even Karl, who is training both of us, notices I am better when I am diving next to David, and he decides that we are going to do the 1 ½ front somersault together, even though I am so bruised from messing that dive up that Fox has to photoshop the bruises off my legs for their PR photos (watch the special, however, and you will see them). David is a natural at somersaults, having spent many summers in Massachusetts diving off cliffs – he is fearless and enthusiastic as he scampers up the 3 flights of stairs to the higher board, me trotting behind him like a puppy, hoping to somehow catch his talent and his attitude. I don’t want to let him down! Karl is patient, upbeat and supportive, and I feel blessed to have him in my corner. On the second to last day of training before we leave for North Carolina, I work with Curt Wilson again on the trampoline on my forward tuck and he gives me invaluable advice which helps me improve my entry into the water .
But what about my solo dive? The inward dive is obviously off the table…
Tune in to my next blog to find out what Karl has in store for me and how it feels to be at the Greensboro Aquatic Center!
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