I had the chance to sit down with Ashley LaVoy this week to talk about how her week went, both in and out of school. Ashley is always juggling a busy schedule between her academics and diving, so I was curious to hear what stood out to her most. When I asked her about the highlight of her week, she answered right away without hesitation: “Definitely not having to do back dives at diving practice.” For her, skipping that drill felt like a weight off her shoulders, but her week was far from easy. Even without back dives, the pool still challenged her with new skills and tough routines. 

She explained that she learned something brand new in practice: a back twister dive. “The back twister was brutal,” she admitted. “It took me multiple face plants and back flops before I even started getting the feel of it.” She was proud of herself for sticking with it and proving that she could take on something new and difficult. 

Outside of diving, she said she spent the most time with her friend Aurelia Piazza. “She’s the one I drive home with after school and practice, so we end up together the most,” she explained with a smile. The time they share during rides home has clearly made their friendship stronger, and it gives Ashley a chance to unwind after long, exhausting days. 

Of course, school brought its own set of challenges. She reflected on a surprise she faced in the classroom: “Honestly, I was most surprised by how hard the calc test was during 6th period. I’m just very thankful for the corrections.”  

When reflecting on what made her most proud, Ashley talked about a diving meet that stood out for a different reason. While her team was away competing at another location, she had her own meet at the home pool. “I felt like I was helping just by earning my team points even though I wasn’t at their meet,” she explained. Even from a distance, Ashley felt connected to her teammates, and representing them in her own way gave her a strong sense of pride and purpose. 

At the end of our conversation, I asked her to sum up her week in a single word. She paused for only a moment before replying: “intense.”