Willow Glen Resident

Cover Story

Photograph by Vicki Thompson

Dive In: Lindsay Lester began diving just two years ago, after switching from gymnastics. She practices with her coach, Ray Wallace, at the Santa Clara International Swim Center. She qualified for the Junior National Diving Championships in Indianapolis.

Rip It

Up and coming diver springs into nationals

By Laura Rheinheimer

Just two years into her game, 14-year old Lindsay Lester has earned a spot at the Junior National Diving Championships in Indianapolis.

The event offers divers age 18 and under titles in three categories. The Willow Glen teen placed 18th in the one-meter springboard junior Olympic division in the 14- to-15 female division.

Even though she didn't crack the top 10, her diving coach Ryan Wallace says Lindsay is well on her way to a national title.

"She's one of the most talented divers I've ever coached," he says.

This is not the first time Lindsay competed for a top national spot in diving. In 2005, Lindsay finished off her first year by earning a spot in the winter national championships. Although she didn't come home with any medals, Lindsay worked on her mental game, which her coach says is 99 percent of the sport.

This time around, Lindsay spent her days at the Santa Clara International Swim Center where she practiced new dives with Wallace in the weeks leading up to the competition. Wallace was working with Lindsay on developing a splashless entry. She recently incorporated a back 1 ¹/2 pike into her repertoire on the 1-meter springboard. She also does a forward two-somersault tuck and an inward 1 ¹/2-somersault tuck.

"If I have a better list of dives, I'll do better at meets," Lindsay says.

It's this can-do attitude that Wallace says will springboard her into the winner's circle. She also has a stellar work ethic.

When Lindsay first started diving, Wallace says, she would show up early for practice and stay late, doing the dives over and over again.

Lindsay was rewarded for her persistence at a University of Texas diving camp she attended in early July. She was given the Gumby Award for having the will to try and try again.

In addition to her willingness to try new dives, Lindsay has a way of looking beyond the competitive aspect of the sport.

"It's not really about winning," she says. "It's about how you think you did."

Lindsay's healthy attitude about winning starts at home. Parents Greg and Cheryl Lester have encouraged their daughter but have also let her decide what she wants to do.

Lindsay said the switch to diving allowed her more free time to hang out with her friends and do other activities.

Lindsay finished eighth grade at River Glen Immersion School and will attend Willow Glen High School in the fall.

The decision to drop gymnastics in favor of diving was supported by her family.

The family credo is, "As long as you've done your best, you're a winner," according to Greg Lester.

"She just gets out there and does her best," Greg says.

Lindsay doesn't fall apart when she doesn't win, Greg says, but competition does serve as the impetus for her to perform well.

Lindsay has an even simpler reason for diving: She does it for the tan as well as for herself. And when she wins a competition, she knows all the hard work has paid off.

Lindsay began competing in gymnastics at the age of 4.

As a preschooler, her life revolved around vaults, beams and flips, and within a year, she was competing with other young gymnasts.

"I would do gymnastics for four to five hours a day for five, sometimes six days a week," Lindsay said.

She recalls she liked learning new flips and being able to defy gravity. At age 11 she took third place in California at gymnastics level 7.

But injuries began to take their toll on Lindsay's body, and she and her family decided to move on. She endured a fractured wrist, finger sprains and a broken foot that kept her out of the sport for seven weeks.

The dedication also took away from having a social life at school.

"Diving was a really good move because I already knew how to flip into it," she says. "I just needed to learn the entry part."

After only eight lessons with Wallace, Lindsay moved into the novice level of competing, and seven months later, she was competing at the Junior Olympic level.

"She made the transition very, very quick," Wallace says. "Her talent has just taken over in the last two years, and in the next two years, I predict a national title."

He adds, "If she really wanted to, she could be Olympic-bound."

Lindsay earned her entry into the national championships this year after she quickly moved from the Santa Clara Regionals, where she gained sixth place, to the zones championships.

She ensured her spot in the summer national competition by placing ninth out of 41 competitors in the zones meet in mid-July. She was among the top 12 divers to move on to compete in the nationals, where 18 titles were up for grabs.

"I'll do better next year," Lindsay says.

"For her to make it to nationals after two years, we're really proud of her," says her father, who owns a tile contracting company.

Her parents arrange their schedules to make sure one of them accompanies Lindsay to all her competitions. When the young diver returns home with a medal, she simply puts it in a drawer somewhere.

"She has had her share of firsts, seconds and thirds," Greg says, but Lindsay doesn't boast about her abilities or her wins.

"Her typical reaction is, 'Gee Dad, I did really good,' " Greg says.