Diving isn’t just jumping in the water. Diving is a sport that requires strength, agility, and passion and requires lots of determination.

Mountain View Diving isn’t exactly known for its athletic prowess, but to some, it’s everything. One of these people is Madeline Clark (10). Clark, known for her ruthless involvement in athletics at Mountain View, is a State Dive Qualifier. Clark has been diving since she was in 8th grade. She qualified in 2022, during her freshman year, which is an impressive accomplishment.

Before diving, Clark was a passionate gymnast but soon realized that gymnastics may not be for her. “… [I] stopped competitive gymnastics after doing it for 6 years… I wanted to still be able to do flips without my body hurting,” said Clark. Diving is a very mental sport, but you have to be willing to face your fears, and, “Be prepared to work through mental blocks and sometimes, just go for it.”

Last year, Clark and a graduated senior named Taylor Paterson, had an accomplished season, despite Paterson being injured for a lot of the season. Paterson was later offered multiple offers to dive in college. Which has made Clark even more passionate and has allowed her to enjoy her sport more.

She wants anyone who is looking for something new to try out diving! “I recommend it because it’s so much fun and such a good environment to be in.” Clark invites anyone and everyone to come watch and support the Mountain View Diving Team.