Madeleine Gertsen
Reporter
Seven-year-old Bobby Ross probably didn’t think he was going to be a diving star. He probably didn’t think he could set the record for most number of points scored at NCHS, or that he would be a two-time all-American and USA Junior Nationals qualifier. And he definitely didn’t think he would be going to Harvard for diving.
From a young age, Bobby formed different ways to motivate himself and strive for success. “I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform to the best of my standards when I know I can, so a lot of the motivation has come from me to be the best that I can be,” he said. This has not only been his way to motivate himself, but also to inspire his teammates.
Freshman Emma Nolan first met Bobby when they dove together at the field club. “I think that the most important thing I have learned from Bobby is to always support others when they are trying new things,” Emma said. “On the first day of practice, Bobby made the effort to make me feel like a part of the boy’s team, even though I was the only girl.”
Sophomore Tom Kalinowski has been on the swimming and diving team since his freshman year and has gotten to know Bobby well during these two seasons. “Bobby is definitely unique because he is so good at diving, by far the best in the state, yet he still maintains his humbleness by letting the rest of the team know that they are great divers as well,” he agreed with Emma.
Emma believes Bobby’s humble tips and helpful support have helped her tackle her freshman swimming and diving experience. “From the first year I dove with Bobby he gave me tips and supportive advice on how to improve my skills,” she said. “Even though it doesn’t seem like a lot, it shows that Bobby has been helpful to everyone on the team, even before he was a captain.”
In swimming and diving, each individual score affects the overall scores of the team. “Diving is an interesting sport in the way that it is both a team sport and an individual sport,” Bobby said. This unique aspect of the sport allows many of the diving members to contribute to the scores of the team while improving their respective scores as well. “The high school season is the only time that I get the chance to do a sport that I usually just compete individually and turn my success into the success of my team,” Bobby added.
In preparation for the meets, Bobby sharpens up on the fundamental techniques and perfects his competition dives. “I usually spend one practice per week working on just the basics, but most practices I do the dives that I compete as many times as I can.”
One of the dives Bobby competes in often is the 3.5 pike. In this dive, he front flips around three and a half times while hugging his legs to his chest. “When I jump off the board I think about fully extending through my legs so I get the biggest jump possible,” he said. “And then I try to punch through the water to make a small splash.”
This coming fall, Bobby will start his first semester at Harvard University, a top 25 ranked Division 1 program for diving. In Harvard’s 2012-2013 diving season, they had an overall record of 9-0, and an Ivy League record of 7-0.
Bobby believes that the changes he will face in college will be very great, especially regarding the level of competition. “Similar to all sports, there’s going to be a lot more training and expectations are going to be much higher,” he said.
Bobby’s teammates have a lot of faith that he will be able to demonstrate his talent at Harvard. “Bobby is different from most divers, not only because of his talent and skill in his dives, but he also has extreme dedication in everything he does,” Emma said. “In addition to his diving, he also is very dedicated to his school work. Bobby proves that devotion can take you far.”
Although the diving team will miss Bobby, or their “rock of the team”, they have high hopes for his college future. “I have learned from Bobby that if you put your mind to something, you can do whatever you want,” Tom said.
All of the hard work Bobby has put into the sport is preparing him for his future at Harvard. He said, “I’m looking forward to that pressure, though, because I know that winning as a team is going to make all the hard work pay off.”
