Diving is a sport of making the hard things look easy while being graceful.  It takes power, strength, flexibility, coordination, timing and adrenaline all of which Northwood's Kayla Haigh has mastered.  Photo courtesy of David Haigh.

Much of the Northwood Timberwolves diving this season rest on the shoulders of freshman Kayla Haigh, an Irvine 15-year-old who opened competition in the 1-meter springboard and 3-meter platform Tuesday, May 9th at the 2017 CIF-SS Division 1 Swimming & Diving Championships held at the Riverside Aquatics complex on the campus of Riverside City College.  Haigh scored 430.60 points over 11 dives in finals securing a 9th ranking out of 26 for Northwood High School.

Haigh's strongest dives were the 3M Forward 1 1/2 Somersault Twist Free & Inward 1 1/2 Somersault Tuck in which she scored 49.35 and 45.90 points.  Her 1M Inward Dive Pike & 1M Reverse Dive Pike scored 38.25 and 39.95 points.

Kayla Haigh has emerged as Northwood's top diver, an athlete with lots of potential in the sport.  Haigh on May 1, 2017 placed 1st overall in the S. Coast Seaview Pacific Coast Academy Trinity Century Mount Diving competition representing Northwood High School in the 1-meter springboard scoring 462.30 points over 11 dives.

"Her precise somersaults, tucks, and turns off the springboard and tower are hard to appreciate when viewed in real time," said Northwood's Coach Alex Nieto.  "A slow-motion camera is needed.  I'm amazed by her fearlessness to go off the 3-meter."

Diving is much different than other sports; a lot of diving is mental.  Diving is a sport of making the hard things look easy while being graceful.  It takes power, strength, flexibility, coordination, timing and adrenaline all of which Northwood's Kayla Haigh has mastered.

The Northwood High School Swim Team is proud to have Kayla Haigh as their diver and all her poised performances at this year's CIF-SS Division I Swimming & Diving Championships.

CIF GIRLS SPRINGBOARD (11 Dives) division 1:

Kayla Haigh has demonstrated that the diving tradition at Northwood High School is alive and well.  She is a freshman at Northwood High School, and has helped guide the Timberwolves to CIF.  The honor student shares her views on college, and tells us how life is in the sport of diving.

1.  What first got you interested in diving?  It's a funny story actually because I got interested in diving by watching it in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  If I hadn't watched it, I wouldn't have been in the sport I love.

2.  How long have you been diving and training?  I have been coached by 7 different coaches/Asst. coaches over my 8 years of diving starting initially with lessons, then progressing through Novice to end up at the Junior Olympic level.

3.  How long have you been with the Mission Viejo Nadadores Diving?  I have been with the Mission Viejo Nadadores ever since I was 7 years, so I have been with them for 8-8 1/2 years.  In my opinion, in those 8-8 1/2 years, I have been greatly influenced by the good examples my teammates and coaches had set.

4.  So how do you think your performances at the 2017 CIF-SS Division I Championships Dive Meet were?  My performance was not exactly what I had hoped for because I know that I could have done much better.  My performance was somewhat affected by my injured back, and me having to be out of the water the week before the meet due to my sinuses which caused me to have only one day of practice time.  I promise that next year I will come back and make Northwood proud.

5.  Did you feel relaxed up on the springboard and diving platform?  Which specific dive moment or dive did you feel best about?  Sometimes I actually have adrenaline coursing through my veins and my heart pounding out of my chest because of fear and excitement, but most of the time I do feel relaxed on the springboard and diving platform.  I battle with fear often and to overcome it I push myself but I somehow make it possible anyway.  My teammates also help by encouraging me to do my best, which I am very grateful for.  But of course, there are easy dives that help me relax when I have those moments where things seem impossible.  One dive that I think is the least stressful and best dive I can do is a 103B or a front 1 and 1/2 pike because it is easy for me to execute well which I can then get a high score.

6.  Obviously you have a lot of potential, but where do you see your future in American Diving?  What College or University would you like to dive for?  I honestly have no clue where I want to take my diving career right now because I have been focusing on getting better and better each day I practice instead of thinking of diving in a long run.  Though, I do want to go to college for diving at maybe:  Stanford, Indiana, Perdue, Duke or USC.  I don't count on going to college just for diving though, because I want my academics to get me into college as well.  I'll just use diving just as a boost.

Northwood's Asst. Head Coach Riki Yamamoto, Kayla Haigh, and Head Coach Alex Nieto.  Photo courtesy of David Haigh.  

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