All City DIIIIIIIIVE

 Ok. So. Our pool hosted the All City Dive Meet which is usually a once-in -a-dive-life thing because there are 13 pools in the league, and hosting duties rotate on a schedule. I am so so so so happy we hosted on JACK'S SENIOR YEAR! How magical and special and delightful.

Also! Cooper was able to compete for the first time since he was a 10U because the USA Diving schedule gods smiled upon us.

I was on the planniung committee heading up awards and senior recognition, and I have been working on this beast for a literal year. We had the most wonderful 48 hours of hard work and awesome dives-- it was a core memory for all of us. 

I was at the pool for 10 hours on Sunday for set up and warm ups, 14 hours for comp on Monday and 16 hours for comp and clean up on Tuesday. Then I vegged all day Wednesday and Thursday and am just now crawling out.

Also! I am solo parenting because Ben and Coop are in WVA for nationals. They left from the All City boards and drive straight there for warm ups.  Cooper dove badly in 1 meter and finished 25th (top 12 go to finals). Then he was FREAKING AMAZING through 5 (out of 8) dives on platform and FELL APART SPECTACULARLY to finish 19th. Tomorrow he dives on 3M, and there's no way to know if Jekyll or Hyde will show up. Fun to watch both of them on TV tho!!

Back to All City!

DAY 1

97 degrees and so humid I literally thought I was going to die.

My friend and I announced the whole meet-- we switched off each age group, and we annonced awards for the group we were not announcing dives for. It was fun and also hard work.

THE WHOLE FAM!

YAY COOOOOOPER

Sibs

LOL Minnie. She donated her giant blow up sprinkler for tent city, and everyone had fun running through it.

COOPER WON 13-14 BOYS!!!!! ALL CITY CHAMMMMMP!!

I jumped in the pool in my sports bra and hotty hots

Then I remembered I had a swim suit, so I  jumped in again (NOT ALLOWED but who was going to yell at me?) and did some paper scoring in the shade.

DAY 2

Better vibes because it was only in the mid-80s. Phew!

Jack got to wave the flag during the national anthem.

Senior recognition was a slideshow on our awesome scoreboard, and I introduced each senior, read their slide, and asked them to do their favorite dive. Everyone loved it :) Jack's was epic, naturally

He made it to boys' 15-19 finals (natch) and had one last warm up with his coach who has been on the team as a competitor or coach since he joined 9 years ago **sob**

Boys finals are always epic and everyone screams and cheers and it's just a freaking magical diving wonderland. Jack dove SO WELL and took 7th to end his dive career on the absolute best note. He and his teammate won the high point award for their age group-- it was perfect.

Dorothy had a total blast diving and hanging out with her pool friends for 48 straight hours

After the boys' final while awards are getting prepped, the seniors and coaches start diving on the host pool's boards. It gets VERY ROWDY very quickly with kids taking 5 bounces and trying crazy dives and coaches showing off their skills (some of our league coaches are d1 college divers, so it's always a good show). Well. Our award label printer was having issues, and the crazy diving time was getting VERY ROWDY because it was lasting so long and I started to worry someone would get hurt. I was about to jump on the mic and use my best mom voice to make everyone stop diving when I noticed that our meet official, a homegrown college diver who is a member of team USA and currently training for the Olympics, was in his Team USA speedo doing a FRONT THREE AND A HALF, so we let it ride.

One Very Dumb Thing I did was not look closely at the box of medals I had (the pool who hosts the swim portion of the meet orders awards for both swim and dive, so all I had to do was pick up a box of ribbons and medals from the other pool). All I could see were gold, so I figured they were all the same, and we put a sticker on the back of each one with the kid's name and score. So we gave the top 3 winners in each event gold medals. Until we ran out and starting pulling out silver. OOPS. Let's just say by the end of day 2, everyone got rose gold (bronze lol).

Oh you also want VIDEOS? Sure.

I will remember this meet forever-- what a gift!

Cooper Jedd, NATIONAL QUALIFIER!!

Cooper and Ben had so much fun in Iowa City, where Cooper qualified ALL THREE EVENTS to nats!

He's back in West Virginia at the end of July/beginning of August, and he could not be more excited. Plus he caught this YUGE fish (lol)

 

Diving Updates!

 Cooper! Is at USA Diving junior nationals in Mission Viejo, CA this week. Here I am watching warm ups:

Yesterday, he had 3 meter prelims. To make it to semis, he needed to be 6th place or better. Going into the 9th and final round, he was in FIFTH PLACE! His final dive was a reverse 1.5, and he needed to get ok scores-- like 5's-- to clinch his semifinal spot. He got... 3.5's. He just BIFFED IT you guys. It was a sunny day, and he was diving outside, and he thought the sky was the water so he came out of his tuck when he saw the "water" but then when he figured out it was the sky he had to maneuver like crazy to save the dive-- thank god he didn't get hurt.

The girls and I were watching at home, and Harry was watching at work. He screamed NOOOOOOOO when it happened and freaked some people out. My YouTube was a little slow, so I got Ben's "Ooooooof" text seconds before the dive happened and was at least. a little prepared.

It happens at 1:46-- you can totally see him realize he's in trouble mid air.

Coop's in great spirits, though, because he is only 13 competing his first year in 14/15 boys, and he did not expect to have a competitive list or compete with the best kids, and there he was! Hanging right in there! He does a front, inward, and back 2.5 (instead of 1.5), and now he is really motivated to get a reverse 2.5 as well-- a real big boy list for sure.

He has 1-meter prelims today at 11:55 am CA time, and you can watch on the USA Diving YouTube if you want to. He is group B boys (there are 2 events happening at once with 2 different live streams of the same pool-- it is slightly confusing).

Back at home, Dorothy competed in the All-City dive meet on Monday and was fab. She did not make the final round, but she dove really well and had fun with pool and school friends.

It was 11,000 degrees in the shade, but Minnie was a trooper

Last night was Jack's turn to shine at All-City, and boy did he! He got 9th in 15-19 boys and was awesome. He even banged his Apple watch on the diving board railing during in approach for his double pike and ended up leaving the board on two feet and still made the dive-- that's YEARS of diving experience right there.

He also got a brand new dive for finals-- a back 1.5 straight. It looks so cool the announcer actually SAID that was cool while he was under water:

There's an elementary school across the street from the host pool thank goodness, so Minnie had fun while the top 16 warmed up their finals dives, even though it was still 95 degrees and humid. Slight disaster when the snow cone truck was already gone when we got there-- averted by a trip to DQ on the way home-- phew!

After the meet, the kids all threw ridiculous stuff while the hosts got awards ready. I was too busy screaming belly flop to film Jack-- it was epic. 

Next year is Jack's LAST All-City meet if you can even believe that. And! OUR POOL IS HOSTING!! I can't wait (I even signed up to be on the host committee)-- how cool to have your SENIOR RECOGNITION for your favorite sport AT YOUR OWN POOOOOL!!!

National Qualifier!

Cooper!! Qualified all 3 of his events to USA Diving junior nationals! He qualified all 3 from regionals (there are 12 regionals across the country) to zones last month, but last weekend was the big test-- could he make it from zones to nationals as a 13 year-old competing in the 14/15 age group (he has a poorly timed dive birthday). HE COULD!!

He got third place in platform, which was AMAZING because the top 3 finishers from each zone make it to the national semifinal round and don't have to compete in prelims. He finished 4th place in both 3-meter and 1-meter, which is still so awesome because the top 10 in each zone (there are 6 zones) qualify to nationals. 4th place means he will have to compete in prelims for those events, but last year, he made to semifinals out of a prelim, so he knows he can do it (to make semis at nationals, he needs to be in the top 6 from the prelim).

Competition was stiff, and look how close he was to 3rd place in 3-meter:

He was amazing, and we are just SO PROUD of him. (I mean duh we are proud of him regardless of how he places).

He and Ben flew to Cleveland early on Thursday where Cooper warmed up at the facility before they even checked into their hotel. (Madison sent them to Cleveland by way of Charlotte, which is also where they flew for regionals and where Ben flew on his way to Charleston and back-- that airport is practically his new home). Then he warmed up in the morning, dove in competition in the afternoon, and warmed up again on Friday and repeated that schedule on Saturday. Sunday morning, he did early warm ups and competed in his last event just after lunch-- then he and Ben went straight from his last dive to the airport-- no time for a medal, even. Ben said it was kind of terrible when Cooper asked him in the cab if he finished in second place (because of dive order, that's what the score board was showing when they left) and Ben had to be like um, no, you were 4th by .10.

It was a fabulous weekend!

Back home, Minnie finally went down the water slide by herself-- and she liked it so much that she did it about 150 times in a row over the course of 3 days. It was also finally warm enough for me to get in the water, so she got to live her dream of playing in the deep end. She doesn't actually need help on the diving board, but she feels like she does. I think in a few days, I can just sit on the edge and watch, but for now, she prefers to jump when Jack or I are waiting under the board-- but we don't grab her or help her get to the side.

Harry had his adorable girlfriend over for the weekend, so they did fun Madison things. Jack worked a TON because he gets his wisdom teeth out next week and has to take some time off, and Dorothy went to a water park with friends, which was fab because then I didn't have to go, but she can check that summer box.

Yay summer!

cooooooop!

 While the rest of the family loafed at the pool, Ben and Cooper flew to Charlotte, NC, for the AAU Red-White-Blue Diving Championships. Technically, Cooper only qualified in 3 meter and platform, but he got a call up in 1 meter (he finished 8th at the qualifier, and only the top 6 make it to nationals, but lucky for him, 2 boys ahead of him couldn't go), so he competed in all 3 events.

He placed 14th in 1-meter, just out of the top 12 medal race.

Then the next day, he came back to place 6th in platform. 6th! At nationals! Competing in the 14/15 age group even though he is a tiny little 13 (dive uses your bday by the end of the calendar year, so the later birth month kids are kind of screwed).

He finished out the meet placing 7th (by.4 points!) in 3 meter.

Ben was an excellent sports dad and made sure to join in on all the team fun (Top Golf, escape rom, dinners out, sand volleyball for the kids, etc)-- I am going to  follow this example at dance nationals next month.

Next for Coop is one more national qualifier (USA Diving Zones) and a chance to compete at the USA Diving Junior National Championships is Mission Viejo in July. CROSS YOUR FINGERS.

(Yes there are at least 4 diving nationals: YMCA Swimming and Diving (our club does not compete on this circuit); AAU National Championships (this is something you can qualify for based on a score at a regular season meet. Cooper is qualified, but his club favors RWB and USA Diving); AAU Red White Blue National Championships (the one he went to, slightly more prestigious because you have to place 6th or better at a qualifying meet), and USA Diving Junior National Championships (this is the top tier event).)

What's really cool about AAU is that their have a national team that even winners make, and that team travels all over the world. Coop would love to make that team someday (USA has one, too, and ditto). 

He competes 9 dives per event, but here are a couple faves from last weekend.

Platform:

3 meter:

Low grocery week! Can I keep this up! Also: AMAZING KID RESULTS

 Before I rest on my grocery saving laurels, I should note that we also did a Target run for cleaning supplies and a trip to the local grocery for wine, cheese, and salads-in-a-bag, and I don't know how much that cost because Ben went, and I hate checking my account balances. #badatadulting. ALSO, we spent all of the money eating all of our meals at restaurants last weekend because SO MANY KID THINGS. (Srsly we had lunch and dinner out Friday-Sunday, which is very much not like us, but was necessary.)

BUT! I only spent $308 at the grocery store! That;'s unheard of around here! 

Menu:

Sunday (yesterday LOL): Burgers, chips and veggies and dips, green beans, peanut butter cookies (I had a Costco chipotle black bean burger wrapped in lettuce, and it was SO DELISH).

M-W: SO MANY options! Sandwiches and crudite, breakfast sandwiches, eggs, pancakes, and fruit, pizza, spaghetti, deli fried chicken-- I will fully commit to being a short order cook as we get through another week full of kid things. Also there is a very good chance that takeout is in the cards tonight because Minnie and Cooper have to come to campus with me for a 4-6 thing.

Thurs: Grilled chicken breasts, baked potatoes, broccoli, salad. 

Friday: No clue! Maybe tacos; maybe spaghetti. We'll see where the wind takes us.

Weekend: Dorothy has a Chicago dance convention/competition, but Ben might take her because she has only one dance (it's only for the company dances, and most of hers compete at the club level), and she wears her hair down for it. Soooooo, I could be home alone with everyone else-- meaning I will probably throw money at my feelings.

KID STUFF (aka THE GOOD PART)

Jack had his state speech competition on Saturday. He competes in a category called special occasion speaking, and in WI, this (funny-- think mini stand-up routine built around a specific topic to a fake audience) category has 3 prompts that the students can choose from. The prompts are determined at the state coaches' meeting in July, so kids theoretically have from July-December to work on their speeches, but Jack? Decided to write his 6-minute speech the week of the year's first tournament, where he placed 4th and then took off like a (non spaceX) rocket! 

He has won so many competitions this year, and he was so happy heading into state (hosted at his very own school no less!) This year, students could choose from a motivational speech by a coach, a villain monologue, or a welcome-to-camp speech. Jack did the camp speech, and it was HILARIOUS and BANANAS. SO much physical humor! SO many dark jokes about middle schoolers! He did a cartwheel In a suit! And did a Russian jump that was always higher than classroom desks! 

He was elated to make semi finals (he has never broken into out-rounds at state before). Coop and I went to the high school when the semis were over to wait and see if he made finals because we planned to watch. Well! Jack's coach could not contain his delight and told Jack he was the top speaker going into finals before the postings had even dropped. Jack was SO EXCITED. To make things even sweeter, 2 of his teammates also made the final (it's unusual for schools to have HALF of the final round, so the whole team was thrilled, and anyone not in their own round came to watch.) 

Jack was AWESOME in the final round, and the whole round was just ridiculously funny. Kids! They're so smart and talented. Jack got to speak in his AP history classroom, and the room was stuffed to the gills with people sitting in the aisles and standing in the back. Jack got the most laughs for sure, and he was clearly so happy and proud of himself.

The whole fam came to school for awards, and JACK TOOK SECOND PLACE IN THE WHOLE STATE OF WI! His teammate got third, and his other teammate won. It was SO COOL!

Also happening this weekend! The AAU Red-White-Blue national dive qualifier! PHEW! Okay. SO. AAU has a national tournament that you qualify for with a certain score at regular season meets. Coop has already hit that mark, meaning there's a CA summer tourney he can attend where the top 2 in each event get to go to London to compete. But then! AAU has a more prestigious tourney that you have to qualify for where the top 3 in each event go to Croatia and also become part of the AAU national team. That's the one Coop qualified for this weekend (yay!!!), and he will compete at nats in Charlotte, NC, over Memorial Day weekend. He has ONE MORE national qualifier series coming up for a chance to compete at the USA Diving junior nationals (this is the big kahuna of national tourneys) also in CA this summer. I don't think he will go to both AAU national meets, but we will have to see where the USA Diving chips fall.

He had platform on Friday (3rd!!), 1-meter on Saturday (8th-- a real bummer, and he hopes a qual for that event bumps down to him by kids who finished in the top 6 deciding not to go to the tourney-- this is a thing that happens because some kids are USA Diving-only competitors, so we will see), and 3-meter on Sunday (6th! A qual!). His age group was STACKED with USA Diving national finalists, so these finishes were a BATTLE. And even though he dove poorly on Saturday (it was baaaaaaaad-- he got 3.5's on a dive or 2), he was able to come back strong on Sunday-- a very big thing for him. Also, he has a poorly timed dive birthday because he will be 14 at the end of 2025, but he has to dive with the 14-15 boys all year, even though he is a teeny little 13 y/o 7th grader, and some of these kids are full MEN and already 15 years old.

Here I am watching the meet with a state runner up

Coop was WINNING THE MEET for 2 rounds on Saturday before the wheels fell off (he got EIGHTS):

Listen to me at the end of this dive

But! This was awesome from Friday:

And here is where he punched his nationals ticket

Look how happy!!