Date: Fri 26-Sep-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KIMH

Quick Words:

Becky-Crane-Diving-Record

Full Text:

Becky Crane: Shatters NHS Diving Record

B Y K IM J. H ARMON

WESTON - Becky Crane knew in her heart that she would, at some point in the

1997 season, break the Newtown High School diving record set in 1984 by

Kristen Bjornberg.

What she really didn't know was how badly she was going to break it. And after

her performance - a clinic, one might call it - in Newtown's 95-91 loss in

Weston last Friday, consider that record crushed, shattered, demolished and

otherwise obliterated.

Thirteen years ago, Bjornberg set the mark at 201.90 and it has withstood the

years and the challenges of such first rate divers as Erin Peck and Jamie

Gardner.

Until 1997.

Now the record stands at 245.1 points.

"I was really looking for the record last year," said Becky, "but I kept

having off meets. This year I just went into the season with a little more

confidence."

She was able to gain that type of confidence from her off-season work at the

Penn State Diving Camp and her thrice-weekly work (with her other NHS diving

comrades) at Yale at Southern Connecticut State University with

nationally-recognized diving coach, Jim Pyrch.

"I've gotten a lot of confidence in diving that I haven't had before," said

Becky.

A senior tri-captain with the 2-1 Nighthawks, Becky just about stuck every

dive she attempted - the back dive, the back 1« somersault, the reverse 1«

somersault, the reverse dive, the inward 1« somersault and the grand daddy of

them all, the back dive with 1« somersaults and 1« twists.

Her lowest score on any one dive was a 5.

Her best - on the reverse dive - was an almost unprecedented 8«.

Early on, it was apparent that Becky was in the zone. Her first attempt, the

back dive, she stuck to the tune of 7 and 6« on a degree of difficulty of 1.8.

Then she earned a 6 and a 7 on her inward 1« somersault and its 2.2 degree of

difficulty.

"Usually, I need the first three dives to be on," said Becky. "If I hit the

first three, then I'll have a good day. But if that doesn't happen, then I

won't do that well."

Her third dive, a back 1« somersault with a 2.4 degree of difficulty, earned

her a pair of 5« scores. Her fourth dive, the reverse dive in the straight

position, was her best of the afternoon and for her efforts she earned a 7«

and 8« from the judges.

"I was surprised," said Becky, "because I didn't really think I hit that dive

that well. I thought my legs had come apart."

The only dive she didn't stick was the reverse 1« somersault in which she was

awarded 5« and 5 scores from the judges. With the 2.3 degree of difficulty,

though, the low scores did not hurt as much.

And then came the grand daddy - the back 1« somersault, 1« twist, in the free

position. Becky did all the twists and the gyrations and earned scores of 5«

and 6 and with the 2.5 degree of difficulty, she was able to earn 30 points

for the dive, her highest point total of the meet.

With only two judges on deck, the score was tabulated and then multiplied by

1.5 to compensate for the missing judge. Becky was so on, that even with just

two judges her score would still have been high enough - at 163.4 - to qualify

for the CIAC state championship meet.

And that - with the record now firmly in her grasp - is something she wants to

focus on.

"I'd really like to have a good state meet," said Becky, "because the last

couple years I haven't done that well."

If she stays in the zone, though, and retains the confidence she can't help

but have a good meet.