Freshman Jackson Monus stands at the edge of the diving board. With one leap, he transforms his fall into a graceful dive, plunging into the still water. This is where he succeeds in ways that many can only dream.
Ranked second in the nation in competitive diving at the Junior Olympic level, Jackson is on the Junior Olympic Team after scoring enough points at nationals to be placed in a tier that includes the USA junior team.
“It is a step towards the Olympics,” Monus said.
He said he first started diving at the Columbus Country Club (CCC) when he was 6 years old.
“I thought it was kind of cool,” Monus said. “My parents just signed me up, and I got really into it.”
His father, Jason Monus, said Jackson’s interest in diving started at an even younger age.
“Jackson always loved to jump into the pool at his grandparent’s house since the time he could swim,” Jason said. “But what caught his interest to start taking lessons was watching someone practice at the Bexley Pool who told us about swimming programs at Ohio State.”
After Jackson dove for a few years at the CCC, he decided to take diving lessons at The Ohio State University.
“That is when I really started to get competitive with it,” Jackson said.
He practices for three-and-a-half hours per day, six days per week, and he usually has a meet every few weeks, he said.
Diving takes up a significant portion of his day, but he does not struggle balancing his school work and diving because he leaves school after fifth period every day, Jackson explained.
“I get some homework done a little before practice and then mostly spend my nights doing homework,” he said. “But I don’t have to worry about my schoolwork while I am at practice.”
Jackson said his parents and coaches have been essential to his success. They have supported and pushed him to be his best throughout his entire career, he explained.
“They are a lot bigger than just a coach, they also try to influence us in life,” Jackson said.
He added his teammates and best friends on his club team, ACES Diving, which includes six different teams with about 100 different divers, have also played a vital role in keeping him on track with his goals.
“We all motivate each other to do better,” he said.
He said he loves many components of diving, but there are some aspects he dislikes.
“I like the sport overall,” he explained. “I like how chill it is compared to soccer and football. I kind of just go with the flow, but I dislike the hours of training that I do every week.”
Jackson said he hopes his practice and hard work will get him into a Division I college and eventually into the Olympics someday.
Jason said he is proud of the work Jackson has put in throughout his life.
“Jackson’s success is due to his dedication and love of the sport,” Jason said. “I admire the countless hours he spends every week practicing, matched with the mental toughness to compete. You have to be on your game at meets because if you mess up you do not get a second chance.”
Jason said he tries his best to support Jackson and the decisions he makes with his coaches every step along the way.
Jackson added it is difficult to practice at times due to soreness, but the progress that results from his hard work and determination is always very rewarding.
“I can see myself progressing every week, almost every day,” he said. “That is what I like most about this sport: you can show how good you are, how much work you are putting in and where you are getting to.”
