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Injuries, lack of practice facility can't slow Shenandoah diver
Written By: MICHAEL CASAGRANDE
From the Muncie Star
Kate Hillman couldn't believe it was happening again.
The Shenandoah diver was warming up for a meet early in the season in Noblesville when her left hand clipped the board while practicing her reverse 1 1/2.
The same thing happened on the same dive in last season's sectional meet, but she thought it was broken this time.
That November scare is a distant memory now that Hillman enters this morning's state diving competition seeded fifth. The preliminaries start at 9 a.m. and the finals of both diving and swimming events start at 1 p.m. at the University Natatorium in Indianapolis on the campus of IUPUI.
Bruised ligaments and a few pulled tendons was the ultimate result of the warm-up mishap. A trip to the hospital revealed no bones were broken and the rehab process began immediatly.
"I just kept trying to get it stronger," Hillman said.
Squeezing therapy clay and rotating her wrists with weights did the trick. She won the New Palestine Sectional and placed second at the Brownsburg Regional.
And while she may have healed physically, the Raider sophomore's mother, Lisa Hillman, said the mental effects of hitting the board remain. And its all subconscious.
"Her reverse 1 1/2, I'd say that's her achilles heel right now," Lisa Hillman said. "But when she does throw it, it usually goes for seven or seven and a half."
It's not like Hillman's new to dealing with injuries.
She had to give up gymnastics in 2003 when she fractured her spine. For an entire year, Hillman had to avoid athletics.
Then in 2005, her mother introduced her to diving and she started working with the Indianapolis Starz club program.
Kevin Rockhill, Hillman's Starz coach for the past two seasons said he's most impressed by her approach to the sport.
"She's cool under pressure," Rockhill said of Hillman, who practices four hours a day. "We always talk about how she dives like she has ice water in her veins. She knows what she has to do and gets the job done."
From the beginning, Lisa Hillman said it was obvious her daughter was a diving natural.
And while the state high school meet only offers the 1-meter springboard competition, it is the 10-meter platform that is Hillman's specialty. She placed 15th at the 2007 Summer West Junior Championships in the 14-15 age group on the platform.
This is all from an athlete who is unique at her school. Hillman is the only diver at Shenandoah so she has to drive to Pendleton Heights to practice along with the Raiders' only swimmer, Amanda Thise.
That doesn't mean Hillman competes without support.
"I have quite a few in my fan club," Hillman said while talking about her classmates who come to meets.
And she doesn't plan to disappoint today.
Hillman said her goal is to make the top eight with a "small chance" of grabbing the state title.
The unselfish diver said she hopes Sarah Clay of Hamilton Southeastern will come away victorious "because she worked so hard for it."
That humble response speaks to the kind of person Rockhill describes when he talks about Hillman.
"She's the kind of kid," Rockhill said, "that if you ask her if she thinks she's any good, she'll say 'well, I don't know.' And I think that plays a big part into what she's accomplished."
Contact prep sports writer Michael Casagrande at 213-5807.
Posted 2-9-08 |
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