Sophomore diver Anna Larson is taking the plunge this season. With a record-setting first year under her belt, she intends to pursue more goals that would set more Saint Louis University records.
Because of Larson’s steady determination, school records have cracked. She has broken the Atlantic 10 3-meter diving record during her first league-championship effort. She also broke the record for the 1-meter dive only to break her own record later in the season.
Other accomplishments include being the fourth SLU diver to qualify for the NCAA Zone Meet. As if that weren’t enough, Larson rounded out her first season with three performances that rank among the top 10 diving performances in the University’s history.
A list of Larson’s laurels might suggest that she has reached the pinnacle of her success, but she remains a perfectionist.
“Some of the dives in my list I’ve been practicing for five years,” Larson said. It’s a daily struggle to get them as perfect as possible.”
However, Larson admits she has come a long way.
“I’m proud of myself and what I accomplished,” Larson said. “But at the same time, I set very high goals for myself and I’m usually not happy until I reach them.”
While in high school, Larson was a member of the swimming and diving team. She said the high school team was a good support system that taught her the positive effects of teamwork. Club diving, however, was the reason Larson said she attended SLU to dive.
“First and foremost, I was recruited by my club coach [Greg Triefenbach], who was also the [assistant] diving coach at SLU,” Larson said.
SLU Swimming Coach Jim Halliburton said that Larson’s performance this season has met with his expectations.
“I knew that she would come right in and be our best diver,” he said. “She is a very talented, graceful diver.”
Larson said one of her main goals in to break the 3-meter school record.
“My other goals are to be top three on both boards [1- and 3-meter] at the A-10 conference and qualify for the NCAA nationals,” Larson said.
Larson’s penchant for teamwork is clearly important in her list of goals.
“I want my teammate, Emily Walter, and I to be in the top three on 3-meter,” Larson said. “I think we’ll be able to push each other toward our goal. I want to stand on that podium next to her.”
For all this to be possible, Larson said she attains a meet-mode mindset with some music.
“It’s me and the headphones and usually Hannah Montana . It’s all about girl power at that moment,” Larson said. “I go into my own little world . I can only control what I do.
“I’m really proud of my team,” she said about the influence that the team’s community has on her life at SLU. “It’s an honor to come into a university and already have a family here.”
