BY MARK CHALIFOUX
While St. Xavier has dominated high school swimming in the city, Indian Hill has exhibited a similar dominance in diving. This year has been no different for the Braves.
"We've done really well this year," head coach Jason Glorius said. "We placed well at all the big meets and dominated all of our dual meets."
The Braves routinely send more divers to the state meet than any other school in Southwest Ohio and that is the case again this year as Indian Hill is sending three divers to state.
"It's not like this is happening for the first time," Glorius said. "We have a rich tradition." The three state qualifiers from this year's team are carrying on that tradition.
MICHAEL GRANGER
Michael Granger has been diving for 12 years and has been diving competitively for five. He comes from a diving family as his siblings have been involved in diving as well. Granger competes nationally with AAU diving and USA diving and has been to the AAU national meet.
"My ultimate goal, right now, is to get into a good college with diving and compete in the NCAA championships," Granger said. The junior has qualified for the state meet every year, but also tries to diversify his activities.
"It's pretty challenging when you have something as time consuming as diving six days a week, but I also do Latin club and some community service."
IZZI KROMBHOLZ
Junior Izzi Krombholz got involved in diving in fifth-grade after participating in gymnastics. She said the progression from gymnastics to diving was natural and has helped her.
"The combination of getting my start in gymnastics and the fact that I've been training so long has helped me develop into a good diver," she said. Krombholz has qualified for state every year, but doesn't plan to dive in college. Her future ambitions revolve around her music.
"My goal is to make it as a musician and to become a producer someday," she said. "I've always been really into music and I hope to go into recording or producing in college."
In addition to diving, Krombholz also writes and records her music and participates in cheerleading and her church band.
BEN HALL
Senior Ben Hall has developed quite an athletic resume at Indian Hill. This was the second time he's qualified for the state diving meet and he was also a free safety on this year's record-breaking Indian Hill football team. In the spring, Hall does the pole vault for the track team.
"I would probably say I enjoy diving the most, but I have the most fun with the pole vault. I'm torn between the two," he said. "I'm just an all-around athlete."
Hall doesn't know if he wants to dive in college but said he plans on majoring in civil engineering in college.
"I've been accepted at UC," he said. "I knew that I wanted to pursue engineering of some sort and UC has a lot to offer."
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