By:
(Photo: Thanks to Cynthia Schoettker)
PARK HILLS – After one of the most pressure-filled dives of his life, Louie Hunt needed a break from the sport.
The Covington Catholic senior is ready for that break to end now as he prepares for his collegiate diving career at the University of Cincinnati. He will major in economics as UC's renowned school of business.
"These last couple of months I've taken off from diving," he said. "Both my parents went (to UC) and I wanted to go to UC regardless of diving. I decided I was going to dive again and I thought UC would be a good place to do that."
Hunt, who has been diving for seven years, capped off his last high school meet in the best way possible, winning the KHSAA state championship Feb. 28 in Louisville with a state record score of 569.40, topping a 16-year-old mark by more than 16 points. Hunt knew he had the title when he stepped onto the board for his final dive, but he had his mind on history.
"I didn't feel any pressure up until the last dive and that's why I did so well," he said. "I was just having fun in my last meet and when it came to the last dive, I knew I had to get 55 points to beat the record and I knew I could do that but only if the dive was pretty good. I was thinking of how to do the dive and make it great and I was able to do that."
Hunt had finished second in 2014 to Dixie Heights graduate Bailey Harrison, and scored 75 more points this year than last to take the next step as a senior.
"It was the culmination of the past six years of hard work," Hunt said. "I've always dreamed of being a champion. I would work out a lot and that was always my motivation. I wanted to be the best."
Hunt enjoyed perfecting his craft over time.
"I like how it's super technical and it's really a perfectionist's sport," he said. "I like having to work on things and make precise adjustments."
Precise adjustments are set aside for big lessons in one of Hunt's side projects, being the diving coach for Holmes High School. He has enjoyed teaching them the sport from scratch and he hopes to still able to coach the Bulldogs during his Bearcat career.
"It is awesome being able to work with those kids," he said. "They're very enthusiastic about diving and it brings out a part of me I would like to see more. A lot of them had never been on a diving board before. They work hard and have fun while doing it."