For most athletes, finishing 29th out of 30 competitors would be a forgettable experience. But for diver Katie Griffin, reminiscing about last April's Junior Olympic East National Championships evokes a shy smile and a faraway look.
The trip to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for a diving meet turned into four days of quality time spent with her father, time that Griffin will cherish forever. Two months later, her father, Tony Griffin, died suddenly from a brain aneurysm.
"I was so glad me and my dad had that time together," said Griffin, a Seton Keough junior. "He was so willing to do anything to make me happy. We rented a convertible and drove to the beach. We walked around, and he had a new video camera. He was so happy."
Her father's support made the rough day at the pool easier to bear. Still, Griffin hadn't even expected to qualify for that spring national event after moving up to the 16-18 age group, and, at first, she did not make the cut.
Finishing seventh in the qualifying meet, she missed the sixth and final advancing spot by two points. The Ellicott City resident chalked up the near miss to experience, but then her luck changed. The sixth qualifier pulled out with a shoulder injury and, just four days before the spring national meet, Griffin got the call that the spot was hers.
Twice before, Griffin had been to spring nationals, but those were in Bloomington, Ind., and her parents weren't able to go. This time, she was thrilled to be headed to Florida with her father.
As she prepares to defend her Eastern Interscholastic High School Diving Championships crown Saturday at LaSalle University, Griffin carries her father's spirit with her.
"He was the type of guy who made me feel, even if I did bad, it was OK," said Griffin, 17. "Knowing that I do my best and I try, it's enough. People ask me all the time, even at my father's funeral, `So you're the diver in the family. Are you going to the Olympics?'
"In a way, that bothered me, because it was almost as if they were saying my dad expected that of me, but I know he didn't. It's a good goal and great dream to have, but to come true, it's so hard. Only two people in the whole entire country make the Olympic team. At spring nationals, I worked as hard as I could and he was so proud."
But don't think Griffin doesn't want to go as far as she can in the sport.
Last month, she finished third on the one-meter board at a high school invitational at the University of Delaware.
