Issue date: 2/18/09 Section: Sports

Senior diver Kara Kooken, an earth science and secondary education major, had 15 top-five finishes in the 2007-08 season, including a third place finish in the 1 meter dive against Valparaiso. (Erin Matheny/The Daily Eastern News)

When the Kooken family took a vacation to Maui, Hawaii, a few years ago, they had no idea the beautiful cliffs would have as big as difference as they did. Their daughter Kara fell in love with the rush of jumping off them, and when they returned home she left the volleyball team and dedicated her life to diving. Staff Reporter Richard Morse sat down the Eastern senior diver to discuss that trip, her diving strategy and her leadership role this season.


What first interested you in diving?

I started in high school. We took a family vacation to Hawaii. I was actually diving of the cliffs in Maui. I was originally supposed to be on our high schools volleyball team, which I had already made. And in Hawaii I was diving off the cliffs and decided I wanted to try something different instead of being on the volleyball team. I tried it and loved it.


What is your favorite memory of diving?

Here at Eastern as an incoming freshman, without an actual diving coach, I placed second on both boards in the Panther Invitational, which is a big meet we had. It was really cool as an incoming freshman, out of all the divers coming in second place.


What is the most vivid thing that sticks in your mind about diving in Hawaii?

It was just so pretty out there. You could just dive and jump off the cliffs. It's a different experience jumping off a cliff and off a diving board. There was something so cool about the rush of the water and the rush feeling of falling and diving at the same time.


What are you post college plans?

After I graduate, I plan on looking for a job in the teaching field as a secondary (education) science teacher. My concentration is in earth science with a geology minor. I also plan on coaching diving, and eventually getting my masters.


What is your favorite thing about Eastern?

That it feels like home. Anywhere I turn it's a small enough place, yet big enough for anybody. No matter where I go I feel welcome on this campus. It's just a home away from home.


How do you balance school, diving, and your involvement in a sorority?

I have time management. I keep a planner with a list of everything I have to do. And I try to balance and manage my time as well as I can.


If you could have one career for the rest of your life, with no time or school restrictions, what would it be?

I would be a paleontologist. It's something I've loved since I was little. Most people think of just dinosaurs but it's so much more than that. You get to go to all these different places and pick up artifacts from way back when.


There are two underclassmen divers this year, how have you as a senior taken on a leadership role?

I help coach them, and tell them what they should and shouldn't be doing if a certain dive is wrong. I try to get them to do new and bigger dives, so they can compete better with our competition, which is tough. I just try to help them out whenever I can.


Are there any pre-dive rituals you go through?

I just hope. My goal is to not hit the board, because I've done that many times. Pretty much I go up and try not to think, just do, and hope for the best.


What do you enjoy most about a dive?

I enjoy the rush of flying in the air. Just spinning in general, its fun to flip. It just gives you that rush when you do certain dives, I love that feeling.


When you step on to the board before a dive, what goes through your head?

Nothing. I shut my brain down and just do it. My high school coach told me there's no thinking in diving, just do. So my brain shuts off, I take a deep breath, and I do what I know how to do.


If there was one place in the world that you could live, where would it be?

Australia, it's someplace that I've always wanted to visit. It seems like a really neat place to be. From people I have heard that have visited it's just really amazing. Plus, I think kangaroos are cute.


Quick Hits

Cereal
Frosted Flakes

Sports team
Green Bay Packers

Movie
Cinderella

TV Show
That 70's Show

Color
Pink

Cartoon Character
Mickey Mouse

Superhero
Wonderwoman

Sport besides diving
Football

Soda
Coke

Book
Things with Wings

One thing you can't live without
Water



Richard Morse can be reached at 581-7944 or at rjmorse@eiu.edu.

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