Splendid diving for Smith

Sam Smith left Rocori High School in Cold Spring thinking she had shattered the Spartans' pool record for six dives.

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A day later a Rocori coach e-mailed Warriors head coach Dan Anderson that Smith's score actually was second in the Spartans' pool.

The fact Smith didn't set the pool record doesn't diminish her accomplishment. Her 235.60 points rank her second in Brainerd High School history, behind only Tara Schmidt.

"I had a really great warm-up," Smith said. "That helped. I had been gone the week before so this was unexpected."

Sam Smith

Warriors diving coach Mary Streiff sensed Smith was going to have a big night.

"I honestly had the feeling when she started warm-ups, watching her, that she was just on," Streiff said. "I was thinking, 'She's feeling it. Boy, I feel good tonight.'

"She threw some things that she hadn't thrown yet this year. It was only our second meet, she was on vacation the week before, so she had not had much board time.

Sam Smith

Sport: Diving

Year: Junior

Age: 16

Height: 5-foot-6

Weight: 120 pounds

Other sports: Gymnastics, track and field

Memorable sports achievement: Competing in 2007 state gymnastics meet

Grade-point average: 3.8

Favorite subject: Science

Favorite food: Subs

Favorite movie: "Little Miss Sunshine"

Athlete she admires: BHS athlete Jess Bye

Parents: P.J. and Kelly Smith

"She went through the first five dives on her list. On her sixth dive I thought she can nail that one in her sleep ... and she did. She put together six solid dives."

Smith's sixth dive was a back one and a half with a half-twist.

"You go in like you're going forward," she said, "but you still have to go backward. It's definitely one of my favorite dives. I'm confident in that dive. That's why it's last on my list."

Streiff thought Smith may have surprised herself a little bit considering how early in the season it was to hit that score.

"I would love to say she's going to dive above that score all year, but the reality is there will be some nights when she's off," Streiff said. "It's a matter of how you handle that, mentally, and how you get through the bumps in the road."

Whether the score was a pool record or not, Streiff said Smith is one talented athlete, who once she decides to do something, nothing holds her back.

"As a coach I feel blessed to be able to work with her," Streiff said.

"Sam will be diving the kinds of dives that are top-10-in-the-state-dives," Streiff added. "Her difficulty should be there at the end of the year, without question. Her body lines and form from gymnastics are just impeccable."

Being a gymnast assists Smith as a diver.

"For some dives it definitely does, like twisting in the air," she said. "It also can backfire when you're doing a back and a half twist. You're coming off a half in diving later than in gymnastics, but for the most part they do go hand-in-hand."

For now she's focused on breaking Schmidt's school record and qualifying for state for the first time.

"As the season goes on I hope to get more difficult dives on my list, more degree of difficulty, that will help," Smith said.

"I definitely want to qualify for state. That's my main goal right now, and just get better and grow more confident with my dives."

Other notable efforts:

Nate Schaefbauer, football, passed for 152 yards and ran for a touchdown against Tech.

Britta Nelson, soccer, had two goals and four assists against Little Falls.

Kelly Rosenthal and Megan Zillmer, girls' soccer, each had three points against Tech.

Jake Williams, had two goals against Tech.

Mike Bialka can be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5861.