BY Monroenews.com,

Mac Dobbs became a diver in the seventh grade when he didn't make the basketball team.

"I had a cousin (Michael McClain) who dove here," he said. "Everybody told me I would be good at it."

Good is an understatement. The Erie Mason junior has a repertoire of between 20 and 30 dives and has experienced little else but success since entering high school. He uses six different dives in duals and 11 in big meets.

Dobbs was the Southeastern Michigan Independent Swimming League diving champion as a freshman and finished 24th at state. Last year he repeated as league champion and was ninth in the state meet.

This year he took his diving to another level, taking first in the SMISL and Mason Invitational, scoring a personal-best 262.45 points at Ypsilanti Lincoln, placing second in the diving Regional and finishing third in the Division 3 state meet.

Dobbs' outstanding season made him a repeat choice as Monroe County Region Diver of the Year as chosen by The Evening News sports staff.

He made a remarkable recovery after starting slowly at state.

"I think I was in the bottom half after my first three dives," he said. "I was fifth after the first day, then I jumped up a spot."

Dobbs needed only to finish in the top eight to earn All-State honors for the first time.

The son of Gary and Sandra Dobbs of Erie is a sprinter on Mason's track and field team. He also swims for the Eagles, although he spends three hours a day practicing diving and no time practicing swimming. He also is part of the Milan-Dundee club team.

Born in Toledo, his family moved to Erie when he was in the fourth grade.

"I like it here. It's close-knit," he said. "You get close to your teammates. We have another diver (Chris Heid) who I don't think I could have made it through the season without. He kept me sane and kept my head screwed on."

Dobbs' diving coach since the beginning has been Jack Michael.

"Coach is a great person. He's done just about everything there is to do," Dobbs said. "He dove in college without a coach and pretty much taught himself what to do. He's been bitten by rattlesnakes (at Ranger School) and jumped out of airplanes."

Dobbs keeps a busy life. He works at Phoenix Theatres in Monroe and is an outstanding student with a 4.2 grade-point average this year and 3.6 throughout high school.

His goals next year include winning the state meet. He also is considering joining the club team at Eastern Michigan University.

"I'd like to dive in college if somebody wants to offer me some money," he said. "I want to be a physical therapist."

When his high school career ends, he says he will look back fondly on his years as a Mason diver and swimmer.

"Not to say it's a family, but it's definitely a family," he said. "That's the only word you can use for it."

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