When Ty Mitton first set foot on the diving board as a freshman on Mt Si’s Boys Swim and Dive team, no one anticipated that he would qualify to compete at state championships but achieve All American (4A) consideration as well? Perhaps his coach, Valerie Berglund, could see it coming.
For the past four years, coach Val, a former platform diver herself, has coached the Mt Si, Liberty, Issaquah and Skyline High School dive teams.
“Diving is for everybody with courage – and a heartbeat,” she says. And Ty has both.
Ty turned his athletic prowess to the diving board, a gymnast by training, becoming the second-ever Wildcat diver. Former teammate, Levi Shreiner, was the first to represent Mt Si High starting the year before. The combined efforts of the two divers contributed to racking up points for the Wildcat Boys Swim and Dive team for two years running.
Now, the Wildcat Boys sole diver, Ty, has upped his ante, mastering dives of increasing degrees of difficulty. While most divers are chasing state qualifying scores during the post-season, Ty entered the post-season having achieved All American status.
Washington’s state qualification standards require scoring a minimum of 325 points in a meet. To make All American a national ranking across all U.S high schools, divers must achieve a minimum score of 375. Ty’s most recent score of 457.30 puts him well above the 4A minimum.
Next up for Ty is the State Championships at King County Aquatic Center on February 17. It promises to be an exciting meet.
Ty will be going head to head against training partners and fellow All Americans, Robert Gref from Issaquah High School and Zach Halter from Skyline. His coaches expect Ty will be giving Robert, the reigning state champion, a “run for his money.”
Are you interested in watching this meet? Tickets can be reservedWIAA (Washington) Events and Tickets by GoFan.
