Before each dive, Park senior Caitlyn Greenwalt flashes a smile toward the scorer’s table.

It’s just good board manners Greenwalt says. It’s how she was taught and a nice gesture, one that many divers don’t do. It also portends that behind the smile Greenwalt knows she’s about to nail another dive. That’s something she’s been doing all season, perhaps most notably at the Tartan Invitational back on Sept. 25 when she set Park High school and meet records with a score of 428.10 for 11 dives.

Greenwalt is simply on a diving tear this season. She rarely has had a bad dive and never a bad meet.

“Caitlyn is a very good diver for a few reasons,” said Park diving coach Chris Sova. “One of the reasons is her determination even if she doesn’t do a dive very well. Because she’ll get back up there and do it again regardless.

“The other thing is that she is very committed to technique as well as just not giving up,” Sova continued. “Even if she gets beat up a couple times by a few dives she gets back up on the board and continues to do it. That’s what makes her a good diver.”

Greenwalt has been a much welcomed addition to the Park swim and dive team this season. A Cottage Grove resident, Greenwalt had the unusual situation of being enrolled at both Park and Woodbury last year, attending Park but competing for Woodbury for a complicated mix of academic and transfer reasons.

“So I was going to school at Park but diving for Woodbury last year,” Greenwalt said. “It was weird. It was crazy being at this new school while still being on my old team but it’s become great. I love Park. I really do.”

After missing state by half a point as an eighth grader, Greenwalt qualified for the state meet as both as freshman and sophomore. There was no state swim and dive competition last fall due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was for the Woodbury Royals she placed fifth at state as a sophomore in one meter diving with a score of 357.10. Then Woodbury teammate Gabby Mauder was third in same 2019 state meet. Mauder was first (445.45) and Greenwalt second (395.65) in one-meter diving at sections last year and those two will likely tangle again in the big meets this season.

“I was behind Gabby Mauder, who I adore,” said Greenwalt.

Greenwalt has finished first in seven of nine diving competition this season and won five straight. She’s also been remarkably consistent in the six-div competitions, scoring right around 250 in each meet.

Coming into the season, Sarah Schank held both Park diving record holder with scores of 271.65 (six dives) and 398.95 (11 dives), both records set in 2014.

“I came into the season and I was like I am going to beat Sarah Schank’s records,” Greenwalt said. “That is my goal for this year, but honestly to just enjoy being on a new team. It really is. I would love to get the six-dive record but if I don’t I’m not too mad since I have the 11 one now. But I want to have a good season for once.”

Greenwalt’s record-setting day occurred in a bit of a haze fueled by a 5 a.m. rise, transporting multiple teammates and stopping for donuts “So I was kind of out of it,” Greenwalt said. “I was like you know we’re just going to focus on technique, everything is going to be good. And I got the record by 30 points. And I was like, oh, and just like more like in a shock about it which was kind of crazy.”

Point-wise, Greenwalt would obviously like to best the school record for six dives. For 11, she’d love to push the record to the 430 range.

Greenwalt was a gymnast for 10 years before switching to diving about six years ago. She did both for about a month before switching to diving.

“I decided this is what I want to do,” she said. A half-point miss of state as an eighth grade diver fueled her desire to excel in the sport.

“I wanted to go to state,” Greenwalt said. “It was like a half point and it was like, I can do better. I can be better. I really sat down and said this is what I’m going to do.”

Greenwalt said she doesn’t have one favorite dive, but sees back dives as her favorite category.

“I don’t have just a favorite dive,” Greenwalt said. “My favorite category of dives is backs. That’s always been my favorite. I mean on one-meter my favorite is back dive, back one and a half, my favorite dive on three meter is back one-anda- half, back two and a half. It’s always just my favorite category to do especially because I learned how to do them with my eyes open and I’m actually seeing things as I rotate.”

Her best dives vary on the day, Sova said.

“That’s a tossup. Depends on the day,” Sova said. “I would say the best dive I’ve seen her do is probably going to be – her most consistent one is a back one-and- a-half pike. And I believe her highest scoring that I’ve seen is her inward one-and-a-half pike. I think she got 50 points on that one.”

“My biggest goal for Caitlyn is for her to beat her personal best,” added Sova. If she beats the record, amazing. I love it. If she doesn’t, oh no. As long as she’s improving, that’s what I want.”