Cochrane diver Ashley McCool was one of the youngest competitors at the Canada Summer Games in 2013 – and now, four years later, she will again take to the platform before leaping into in a new life at Arizona State University.
McCool, 17, qualified for the national youth multi-sport competition last weekend at the 2017 Alberta Summer Provincial Diving Championships in Edmonton. There, she collected a cache of medals – including golds in her age group for three-metre and platform diving, as well as two more first place finishes in the open three-metre and women’s open synchronized diving with partner Margo Erlam.
Add to that another two second place finishes in the women’s open one-metre and three-metre dives, and McCool more than earned the right to travel to Winnipeg in August to represent Team Alberta.
“Oh my gosh, I can’t even count,” said McCool of the number of dives she completed over the course of the weekend. “There’s twists and there’s lots of flips.”
The late summer trip to Manitoba marks a return to the national tournament for the teen, who qualified four years ago for the last Canada Summer Games in Quebec.
She’s also the third member of her family to make it to the Games: years ago, McCool’s uncle Terry competed in fastball, and her dad Brent in baseball.
“It’s a lot of fun. You’re competing for a team,” said the former Manachaban Middle School student, who now studies at National Sports School in Calgary. “It’ll be my last competition in Canada.”
After the Canada Summer Games, McCool will leave Alberta to take up residence in Tempe, Arizona.
McCool’s extensive winning record since she started diving six years ago has earned her a full-ride scholarship to Arizona State University, where she will study early childhood education while diving for the Sun Devils swim team.
“It’s pretty cold here so I wanted somewhere hot,” joked McCool. “I always had ASU in my mind – it was kind of like my dream school. It is an outdoor pool, which I love … (the people) are so nice and I love them all.”
Another important reason she chose ASU is Riley McCormick: a fellow Canadian diver who followed a similar trajectory she has in mind for herself. McCormick is from British Columbia, he also attended ASU and dove with the Sun Devils while completing his post-secondary studies – and he made appearances at both the Beijing and London Olympic Summer Games.
McCool said the Olympics are certainly a path she’s considering, although she won’t decide if she’ll officially make a run for the rings until she’s settled into her new Arizona life in the fall.
“Maybe the Olympics,” said McCool. “I’m not sure yet.”
