Dive Right In (10 page)

She stepped forward and waved as her name was announced. A moment later, Traci did the same.

The first diver started up the three-meter board. She was going to try a back double somersault in the pike position. Traci
watched the girl climb, position herself at the end of the board, pause, and hurtle into the air. She wasn’t one of Margo’s
divers, and Traci thought she did pretty well, although her pike wasn’t as good as some others Traci had seen. The judges
awarded her scores of 6.8, 7.0, and 7.2. Traci joined everyone else in applauding. The diver’s total score was determined
by adding the three scores and multiplying the sum by the degree of difficulty: 2.3, resulting in a total of 48.3.

As other competitors did their dives, Traci moved closer to her turn, feeling more and more tense. The fifth diver did a forward
double somersault in the tuck position and got very good scores: 7.6, 8.0, and 8.0. But the degree of difficulty was lower—2.0—
so her total score was lower than the first diver’s had been: 47.2.

Now it was Carly’s turn. Carly had chosen to start with a reverse double somersault, which meant that she would enter the
water feetfirst. The degree of difficulty was 2.1. Traci thought that Carly had nailed it, entering the water like an arrow,
with very little splash. The judges liked it, too; she got a 7.6, an 8.0, and an 8.2, for a total score of 49.98. Carly led
all the competitors who had dived. But it was early.

Suddenly, as the next girl went up the ladder, Traci realized that she would be next. She tried to shut out everything else:
the noise, the other girls, everything but her dive. She was starting with a relatively undemanding one: a forward one-and-a-half
somersault with a twist. She’d do it in the pike position, and the degree of difficulty was 2.1. If she did it well, her score
would be pretty solid, and, as Margo had suggested, she’d feel more assured.

She heard a roar from the crowd, meaning that the diver had completed her dive. She didn’t even bother to look at the girl’s
scores. Over the loudspeaker, she heard, “The next entrant is Traci Winchell, trained by Margo Armstead.”

Traci climbed toward the springboard. She was dimly aware that people were clapping, but as she got closer to the board, she
forgot about the distractions.

By the time she walked out on the board, Traci heard and saw nothing but the board and the pool. She walked out to the point
from which she would start her approach and closed her eyes. She still felt tense but was no longer aware of any fear.

In her mind’s eye, she saw the dive as if it were on a video. First came the approach and hurdle, then the surging jump from
the end of the board. Then followed the forward thrust to begin the somersault sequence. Her abdominal muscles would flex
to bring her straight legs up until her forehead touched her shins. Then, once the somersault had started, her right shoulder
would thrust forward to begin the full twist. She’d spot the clock when the full somersault and twist were done, then straighten
out of the pike until her body was in a straight line, her arms stretched out toward the rapidly approaching water for the
smooth straight-line entry.

Traci opened her eyes, focusing only on the physical tasks that she had to do. She started forward: the
four steps of the approach and then the hurdle off her right leg. Then, after she came down, Traci flexed her knees and launched
herself. Thanks to Margo’s training, her legs were much stronger now than when she had started her diving months earlier.

Once in the air, Traci assumed the pike position as she began a somersault. She pushed her shoulder forward to begin the full
twist. She saw the clock flash by and knew that it was time to start her come-out. The whole sequence seemed to be taking
place in slow motion. She felt her body straighten out. She stretched her arms out to the sides and then overhead, clasping
her hands together.

In the instant after Traci’s hands came together, she hit the water. Immediately she flexed her fingers upward so that she
would rise to the surface.

When she came up for air and swam to the side of the pool, Traci heard the applause and cheers. They startled her for a second;
they were for
her.
For
her dive.

She pulled herself out of the water and looked over to the judges’ platform. The three judges held up signs: 7.4, 7.4, 7.6.
A moment later, Mr. Duchair held up a sign with her total score: 47.04. Traci ranked
fourth among the eight divers who had completed their first dives. There were still four more competitors, and four more rounds,
so the exhibition had a long way to go.

She picked up her chamois from a bench by the pool and started to dry off. Looking up, Traci saw her family and Valerie, who
were waving and clapping.

Traci smiled and waved back. She noticed Margo standing near the judges’ platform. The coach gave one of her little nods.
Traci felt great.

Then Traci forgot about her family and the crowd. She stopped thinking about Margo. In her mind, all that mattered now was
the next dive on her list. She began going over the things she had to do in order to make it work.

Valerie was right. Whether Traci became a champion or not, she was going to give it all she had. As of now, she was a diver.

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Baseball Turnaround	Football Fugitive
The Basket Counts	Football Nightmare
Catch That Pass!	The Fox Steals Home
Catcher with a Glass Arm	The Great Quarterback Switch
Center Court Sting	The Hockey Machine
Challenge at Second Base	Ice Magic
The Comeback Challenge	Inline Skater