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Forward double somersault. He could do a forward one and a half somersault no problem. But two somersaults was somehow ten times harder to pull off. Even from the three meter board. He took a deep breath and stepped onto the board. He could do this.
He almost did it. He landed gracefully in the water at a 90 degree angle, his legs hitting with a loud thwack. When he broke the water’s surface he could hear Coach Lehnsherr (and his teammates) laughing. He scowled, though he had to admit that he probably had looked completely ridiculous.
“That was terrible,” Erik said, as Alex swam over to the side of the pool. “Do a one and a half somersault, and then try the double again.”
Alex nodded and pulled himself out of the water.
“That was pretty good except for the entry,” Warren said. He was sitting against the wall with a paper towel over his nose.
Alex shrugged. “You got another nose bleed?” he asked, changing the subject.
Warren nodded. “I don’t know why I’ve been getting them.”
“You been sick?”
“I was a few weeks ago,” Warren said. “It might have something to do with that, who knows.”
“Alex on the board!”
“Sorry coach,” Alex called, making his way over to the diving board and heading up the ladder to the platform.
He pulled off the one and a half somersault with no problem. Coach Lehnsherr only giving him a few pointers on form. He was feeling a little more confident about the double somersault as he climbed up the ladder, but by the time he actually stepped on to the board that was gone again.
“Just try not to think about it,” Jean said. She was standing on the platform right next to the board Alex was on. “If you overthink it, the dive is going to fail.”
Alex huffed. “I think overthinking things runs in my family.”
“You know you might just have a point,” Jean said. “Good luck.”
Alex gave Jean a nod in thanks before moving forward to start the dive.
It was worse than last time. This time was full on belly flop. It must have looked pretty bad too because Wanda called down from the platform to ask if he was okay. Alex waved back, trying to indicate that he was fine, sore, but otherwise fine.
“I think you should take five,” Erik told him when Alex climbed out of the pool. “Go rest, stretch, take a bit of a break. Clear your head, then get back in and do some easy dives. After that you can try the double somersault again.”
Alex nodded. That sounded like an excellent option. He made his way over to Warren, who was still sitting by the wall.
“Nosebleed hasn’t stopped yet?” Alex asked dropping down next to Warren.
Warren shook his head. “Not yet, but it’s not bleeding quite as much. Having a rough night?”
“You can say that again. Though really it’s not even all my dives that are going badly, it’s just this one.”
“What did Coach Lensherr say?”
“Take a break and try again in a few minutes.”
“Sounds like reasonable advice,” Warren said. He wiped at his nose and sniffled. “I think it’s mostly stopped.”
“If it’s stopped then get back on the board Worthington,” Erik said.
Warren sighed dramatically, getting to his feet. “Yes coach, whatever you say coach.”
Erik chuckled. “Just get back on the board.”
Alex only felt a little jealous when the first dive Warren did was practically flawless.
“I’ve been diving longer than you have,” Warren said when he saw Alex glowering.
Alex sighed. Okay he had to concede that. Alex pulled himself to his feet deciding that he’d had enough rest, and followed Warren over to the boards.
Alex knew Coach Lehnsherr had suggested doing a few easy dives first, but Alex was determined to get this dive perfected and there was only fifteen minutes of practice left. As he stepped on to the board he kept Jean’s advice in mind, to not overthink it. Just step forward jump, somersault one, two, shit.
Alex lost his form coming out of the second somersault and hit the water hard, the side of his face and his ear connecting first. It felt kind of like when your ear pops on the plane except it was water entering his ear and it really really hurt. When Alex got to the wall he laid his head down on the side to try to let the water drain out. He looked up when Coach Lehnsherr sat down in front of him.
“You alright?”
“I landed on my ear,” Alex said. “It really hurts.”
“Anything else hurt?”
“Well my face and chest from hitting, but…”
“But not your neck?”
Alex shook his head.
“Good,” Erik said. “Alright, you’re done for the night. Go dry off and head home.”
“But-”
“You’re done for the night. Your ear will appreciate the break.”
Alex nodded and climbed out of the pool. He grabbed his towel and his bag and headed over to the lap pool to wait for the swim practice to finish so he could get a ride home with Scott.