The transition from swimming to diving didn’t come by choice for Crown Point sophomore Cara Hubster.
Asthma and swimming don’t mix well, so doctors recommended she give up the sport for the betterment of her health. The breaking point came when Hubster passed out while at an age-group meet in Cincinnati over the summer.
Hubster’s love for the water drove her to find a way she could remain on the team without exerting herself the way swimming requires. That’s where diving came into the picture.
“It’s very different,” Hubster said. “In swimming, you can shut your brain off, but in diving you’re thinking all the time. Also, I’ve smacked into the water a couple times, and I didn’t expect it to hurt that badly.”
Hubster and freshman Emma VanProoyen are welcome company for sophomore Jade Hensley, who was Crown Point’s lone girls diver a year ago. Now, the trio has given the Bulldogs a boost with additional diving depth.
“It makes me feel like I can be more of a leader,” Hensley said. “People look up to me, and that makes me feel good. We’re all competitive, so we can help each other and push each other.”
Hensley needed the support system early in the season, when she was still recovering from a significant back injury that occurred in June. When practices first began, she could perform only “a couple of reps” per practice, but now Hensley has returned to form.
VanProoyen is new to the sport, having stepped on a diving board for the first time in October. However, the experience of participating in gymnastics most of her life has paid dividends on the board.
Hensley leads the Bulldogs with a personal best score of 209, followed by VanProoyen (167) and Hubster (139).
The divers sang the praises of diving coaches Ken and Heather Mikrut. Ken Mikrut has spent 18 seasons at Crown Point and began his coaching career in 1991. He started at East Chicago and had a brief stint in the college ranks at Valparaiso University.
“The kids evolve and you see different personalities every year,” Ken Mikrut said. “You have to work with each kid’s personality. You have to allow them to let you learn something new every year as well. Each athlete will teach you something different.”
Star power shift: In recent years, top swimmers Joey Gardner and Wilson Beckman gave Munster the most star power of any team in the annual Highland Invite.
With the duo graduated, coach Matt Pavlovich expects Valparaiso and Crown Point to have the meet’s top swimmers. However, Pavlovich is confident that the Seahorses can defend their invite title from last season.
“Our depth is our key this season,” Pavlovich said. “That’s where we’re going to compete with those top kids. It will be interesting to see how we do against all of the local competitors. All of the top local teams except Chesterton will be there.”
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On the radar: Valparaiso’s Madie Miltenberger wasn’t even on the varsity radar a year ago. Now, the sophomore is in the mix for top spots on her team’s relays.
“She swam JV for us last year and swam hard over the summer,” Valparaiso coach Pete Sattler said. “She’s made massive improvement and she’s come back competing.”
Individually, Miltenberger’s best 50-yard freestyle time of 27.28 came in a dual against Chesterton, while her top 100-yard freestyle performance of 58.34 occurred against Crown Point.
The Vikings, who have just three seniors and five juniors, have had more than half of their swimmers achieve season bests in every meet but one so far this season.
Brandon Vickrey is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.