By Lyndee Pentico
Diving off of the board, Mesa State Freshman Brock Martin, 18, makes a perfect entrance into the water. He is a Mesa State College diver who has worked hard to get where he is today.
Martin comes from the town of Evanston, Wyoming. When he was only 10 years old, Martine decided that diving was what he wanted to do. “I chose diving because I was a gymnast and I was really you and I was swimming. I saw people practicing diving so I gave it a shot and it became a part of my life ever since,” Martin said. Martin started to learn the ropes of diving and once he was in sixth grade Martin decided it was time to compete. Martin enjoyed it and has continued to compete and has worked hard to get where he is today.
Martin continued to dive all throughout high school and summer. To help Martin learn more he attended many different diving camps that helped him learn more difficult dives. As most students in high school Martin needed to make the decision on where to go to college to continue his love of diving. “I chose Mesa State mostly because of the nice facility for diving. When I came for the visit I liked the place and size of the college. It had brand new facilities and buildings and it looked like the place for me.”
Martin enrolled in August of 2010 and started classes and practice for the diving team. Martin has had a long season but it has been worth it. He says diving at Mesa has made him a better diver. Martin practices hard and continues to make diving important to him. The week of January 19th 2011, Martin made diver of the week for the sixth time since starting Mesa State. He has also won 2011 RMAC Men’s Divier of the year. Martin and teammate and close friend Liam Acosta have qualified for NCAA championship. He is glad to have someone he knows going with him. Martin has a goal set in mind to place within the top six. He should be able to do so with all the support he has from friends and family.
As for other activities in Martin’s life, he attends classes before his three-thirty practices. As of right now he is going for a degree in athletic training, but he says it could change. “I want to be a diving coach. It would be nice to be a college coach sometime. It would be a fun job for me. If not a college coach, definitely a high school coach as a side job or something, but i want to continue being involved with the sport in the future. That is my goal.”
Martin will take his mark at Nationals and will do what he does best, win. Martin will make his family, friends and Mesa State proud.