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The Indiana Daily Student

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Diver determined to do 'whatever it takes'

CAROUSELspSchmidt

When senior diver Darian Schmidt started diving, he was a freshman in high school. Just two months later, he quit.

Later that year, he got a phone call. It was from Mark Lenzi, 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist. Lenzi, a wrestler in high school, began diving after being captivated by Greg Louganis’ performance at the 1984 Olympic games. Diving immediately became his passion.

An IU alum, Lenzi had just moved back to Indiana and was coaching the local club diving team. Then he called Schmidt.

“He called me and said, ‘I heard you dove last year but didn’t like it. Just come check it out, and maybe you’ll like it.’ And my parents were like, ‘I think that’s the Olympic Gold Medalist,’” Schmidt said. “That was the coolest thing ever.”

All his life, Schmidt had played football, basketball and baseball. When he got to high school, he decided he was too small to continue playing the sports he had always loved. As a freshman, he stuck with baseball hoping to eventually play in college.

After he got the call from Lenzi, however, his focus turned to diving. He began training year round, competing for his high school team at Bloomington South as well as IU club diving. Schmidt said he liked the change to an individual sport.

“I like having all the pressure on me,” he said. “I can’t blame somebody else. It’s not like ‘Oh, we lost because we could’ve played better defense.’ It’s all on me.”

His first year back as a diver, he reached state championships. Schmidt then built on this accomplishment his junior year with a third-place finish. Less than three years after beginning his training in the sport, he was state champion.

Schmidt is from Bloomington and wanted to attend IU ever since he could remember.
He grew up with four brothers and, being family-oriented, never wanted to leave.

He was also raised among a family of athletes. Both of his parents were gymnasts at IU. Though he was never a gymnast, Schmidt said he probably got the flipping from them.

Long before he set his sights on diving, Schmidt would flip on the trampoline in the backyard with his dad, and he would often dive at the swimming pool in the summer. It was always just for fun, though, never anything close to an Olympic dream.

That all changed one day at club diving practice. Lenzi brought in his Olympic gold medal to show the team. After trying on the medal, Schmidt knew that was something he wanted to accomplish.

He has spent the past couple Olympics watching the athletes he aspires to one day become.

“Just watching those athletes dedicate their lives and put their heart and soul into diving, or any sport, and then to watch them achieve it is super inspiring,” he said.
He knew achieving the high goals he had set for himself wouldn’t just come to him. It would take unrivaled dedication. Schmidt said he looks forward to every practice and never gets tired of seeing how much he can improve each day.

“I try to take every day and give it 100 percent in the pool,” he said.

He has mental routines for before each meet, in between each dive and right before performing the dive. Before the meet, he hits a sign that says “Whatever It Takes,” a reminder to remain motivated toward his ultimate goals.

In addition to the 20 hours of practice a week, Schmidt often comes early to practice or stays late to get in more work. His hard work has shown in competition so far in his collegiate career.

As a sophomore, Schmidt was Big Ten Champion in the 3-meter and synchronized competitions and was on his way to being named Big Ten Diver of the Championships. He repeated this feat a year later, while going on to place sixth on the 1-meter and third on the 3-meter at the NCAA Championships. He was also named Big Ten Diver of the Year.

Last summer at United States Nationals, he had second, third and fourth-place finishes in the synchronized 3-meter, 1-meter and 3-meter competitions, respectively. Schmidt also currently owns six school records.

“He’s competing with the best divers in the country right now and starting to compete against some of the best divers in the world,” IU Diving Coach Drew Johansen said. “He doesn’t have the long history (in diving). He has developed that world level in a relatively short period of time. It’s pretty special.”

Schmidt has high expectations for the remainder of this season, as he hopes to be Big Ten Champion in the 1- and 3-meter, just as Lenzi was in 1989. Other goals include becoming NCAA Champion on the 1- and 3-meter and being champion at U.S. Nationals in December.

Though his eligibility will expire at the conclusion of the season, he has one year of school left. Next year, he will continue to train at IU and be coached by Johansen. Schmidt said once he’s done with school in 2014, his “life will be training.”

At the Olympic Trials in 2016, he will attempt to qualify in both the 3-meter springboard and 3-meter synchronized competitions.

“Our hope is for him to get a lot more international experience next year once the NCAA career comes to an end. Traveling internationally and competing head to head with divers around the world is the next step for Darian in his quest for Rio,” Johansen said.

Schmidt said he doesn’t know what’s in store for him after 2016. He hopes to continue diving for as long as possible.

When his diving career comes to a close, he doesn’t want to leave the sport. Schmidt said he wants to become a diving coach, first at the club level and eventually take over a college program.

For now, though, his life is all about the Olympic dream.

“I eat, sleep and breathe diving,” he said. “Right now we’re definitely training for the college season, but we’re preparing for the Olympics.”

At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Mark Lenzi was the 3-meter springboard champion. It wasn’t until 20 years later that an American won a medal in diving again when David Boudia, Purdue University alum, took gold in the 10-meter platform and bronze in the 10-meter synchronized at the London Olympics in 2012.

In 2016, Schmidt will attempt to become a part of the tradition of Big Ten diving success.

“He does the hardest dives in the world and makes them as easy as anybody,” Johansen said. “He’s probably one of the best divers in the U.S. and amongst the world.”

Follow reporter Grace Palmieri on Twitter @gpalmieri7.

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