Surrounded by a roaring crowd in the quad, freshman Annika Donez steadied herself after performing an ambitious front flip during the freshman Homecoming Quad Day finale on Oct. 13. Her prowess reflected her 10-year dedication to the intensive sport of gymnastics.

However, after the physical strain from gymnastics grew unbearable, Donez decided to put aside the gym mat for the diving board. For over a year now, she has been competitively diving at the Junior Olympics level.

“Gymnastics was a real strain on my joints and muscles, and my body was really taking a beating [from it],” Donez said. “I wasn’t really enjoying it as much because it got really difficult.”

Switching to diving, an activity that took much less of a toll on her body, turned out to be an easier transition than expected.

Because a great deal of flexibility is required for diving as well as gymnastics, Donez didn’t have to work as hard to reach the level of proficiency in her new sport. The muscular strength she had developed from years of gymnastics proved highly useful as well, since she needed to be capable of jumping considerable heights on the springboard.

“I love jumping really high in the air and flipping; it’s really fun and feels like you’re flying,” Donez said. “Also, since I have really good body awareness, I know where I am and I definitely need that in diving; otherwise, I wouldn’t know where the water was.”

Adding to her comfort was that she had several friends, also gymnasts, who joined her at the Santa Clara Diving Club.

During training, Donez practices flipping one-and-a-half times midair before landing in the water, making sure that her hands enter the water first. She also has been learning to go all directions on the board: front, back and reverse.

She drills in two-hour sessions roughly six times a week, practicing her techniques on the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards as well as the five meter platform. Donez receives ISPE credit for diving.

After attending a few local competitions as well as a meet at the University of California, Davis, she intends to continue and perhaps pursue this burgeoning water sport in college as well.

“I want to be as confident as I can in every skill I do, because sometimes I get really nervous, [like] during competitions,” Donez said. “I don’t want to be scared of anything; I’m really liking diving and I just want to be very confident in everything I do.”