Ethan's Diving

Ethan has two loves-  science and water.  One day he'll find a way to combine his two passions.  He decided that this is his last season for soccer and he doesn't want to do baseball anymore.  I won't lie- it's heartbreaking that this part of his life is drawing to a close, but he needs to find what HE loves, not what WE love for him.  So I suggested he try diving, on top of his on-going swim lessons.  At first he was a little nervous about the idea, but the more he started watching YouTube videos the more excited he got.  His only concern was that the divers all wear "underwear", as he calls it.  I explained that they don't wear underwear, but rather a certain swimsuit that only LOOKS like underwear.  He didn't quite believe it because swimmers now-a-days where knee length Speedos, unlike the banana hammock styles.  But divers wear the banana hammock ones because they can't have anything in the way.  I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it!

His good friend Casen is in the same class so it was a lot of fun having a friend with him.  Ethan has been really excited about diving for a couple weeks now and didn't have even a second of hesitation.  Their instructor is really nice and goofy, which only makes the class better.  There are four kids in the class; the other two are girls.  Today they only did footwork- nothing fancy.  I did a little diving back in the day (but nothing like his Uncle Joseph did- man, that kid was incredible)  and a good dive or stunt is all in the footwork.  It's amazing how a mis-step can screw the whole thing up.  Ethan did a great job on his step-jump on the pavement.  He perfected it and then got to try it on the low board.  He did a really good job, but kept bending his knees because he couldn't quite get the idea of a cannonball out of his system. That'll come.

After class he was just beaming.  I asked him how he liked it compared to baseball and soccer and he looked at me like I was a moron.  "Diving is waaaaaaaay better.  I want to do this every single day!!"  For now he'll be doing it two days a week and we'll go from there.  Maybe it's the analytical and calculating aspect of diving that appeals to him.  And since it's a water activity....it just may end up being his thing.