Splash!

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

With each heavy step, Zoe’s heart was racing. She was about to do something she had never done before, a backwards three and a half flip off ten metre. Zoe looked around and there was still no sign of anyone at training. She peered over the edge of the platform and whispered to herself, “I can do this.” Zoe turned around and prepared herself for the dive of her life. She leapt up high and felt her body move but she was unable to control it. SPLAT!
Zoe struggled to the edge and heard an angry voice. “Zoe! What are you doing? You know the rule, no diving without me here.” Zoe looked at her coach and tried to explain, “I just wanted to do it. I thought I could control it.” Emma looked at her, shocked, “You know I have no choice, I’m replacing you with Yazzy, you’ll be our reserve.
Zoe struggled to get through training. Anger and sadness mixed in her tummy and made a bad bubbly feeling. When Zoe’s mum came to collect her, the only thing she could say was, “I’m off the team. I don’t want to talk about it.” Zoe kept showing up each week for training, working as hard as she could, practising the dive over and over again until she had perfected every part of it. She was finding it hard to keep the jealous feelings towards Yazzy from showing. She was the best and everyone knew it. One mistake and everything had changed.
As the competition came closer and her anger disappeared, Zoe started to accept her coach’s decision. She saw how much effort her team mates were making and her feelings changed towards Yazzy. She realised being a reserve wasn’t that bad after all.
Zoe was climbing out of the water as Yazzy prepared for a handstand dive off the five metre, when she heard a scream. Yazzy had overbalanced and twisted her shoulder. Zoe raced up the platform stairs to help her friend who was sobbing in pain. “Are you alright Yazzy?” “I’ll be fine Zoe, but I think you’ll have to replace me. I’ve hurt myself badly.” Tears of pain fell from her eyes.
Zoe climbed up the platform with a spring in her step, proud to perform for the team and complete the dive she was now ready to do.

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