Jamal Walker is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Westwood High School for AZPreps365.com.

Senior Charly Sharp climbs the stairs of the 1-meter diving board, turns the fulcrum to six notches and takes a deep breath.

She approaches the board, stretches her arm to the sky, and jumps, moving her body into the reverse-dive pike, pointing her toes and maintaining a stick-like figure as she enters the water with minimal splash.

Sharp immediately swims to the edge of the pool at the Carson Aquatic Center, awaiting feedback from Westwood diving coach Stella Pickron. Pickron has Sharp exit the pool to show her a video recording andto provide pointers. Sharp and Pickron do this six times before working on another dive.

This is a normal practice day for Sharp, but this wasn’t the only practice she had. Sharp goes to cheer practice at 6 a.m., where she has been a flyer on the cheer team for the last four years. When practice is over at 8 a.m., Sharp goes to school, where she has an unweighted 4.1 GPA. She could have graduated last year early, but she wanted to return to Westwood to be with her friends.

On top of being a two-sport athlete and taking AP classes, Sharp also has a part-time job. Her hard work is a testament to why she is the only diver at Westwood this year going to the state championships on November 8 at the Phoenix Country Day Aquatic Center.

“I like being busy all the time,” Sharp said. “I like doing a lot of things at once even though it's stressful, it makes me feel accomplished.”

On October 24, the Westwood cheerleaders went to Tucson for a football game. Sharp didn’t get home until the next day at 1:30 a.m. At 8 a.m., Sharp was at the Kino Aquatic Center for the Mesa City Swim and Dive championships. She scored 263.05 points, enough for her to qualify for state.

“Charly is always ready to remain focused and committed no matter what she’s doing,” Westwood cheer head coach Caitlin Large said. “She had a great attitude at the game and talked about being ready for her dive meet the next day.”

Sharp dived in all 11 rounds of the city championships, which was six more rounds compared to a regular dual meet. She was smiling and encouraging her teammates. Inside she was trying to stay calm, reminding herself this is what she has been training hard for all year.

“I was honestly super nervous because I knew I wouldn't get any sleep,” Sharp said. “The water was really freezing, but I knew I could do it because I feel like I've been getting better each day.”

As a dual-sport athlete, Sharp’s schedule is strenuous. She practices with the dive team Monday through Wednesday. Thursdays she does half a practice. The rest of the time, she is with the cheer team. Large said Sharp has only missed practices at cheer because of her dive meets. 

“Charly’s weight room schedule looks a little different than some of her teammates while dive is in season so that she isn’t overworking her body and can be prepared for both sports,” Large said. “Charly does a great job communicating any conflicts in her schedule and we are able to work them out together.”

A year ago, Sharp was going to practice as an obligation. This year, Sharp has the willpower and desire to improve, wanting to be at every practice in order to do so.

“Diving is very mental, it has taught me to really believe in myself," Sharp said. "I have a lot more confidence in myself from it."

The difference between cheer and diving for Sharp has given her the balance she needs to excel in both sports. In one sport ,Sharp carries a smile and enthusiasm matched by no one, in the pool she gains strength in the solitude of being alone.

“I absolutely love cheer,” Sharp said. “I love tumbling and stunting, and I'm with my friends all the time. It's fun and diving is an individual sport. It's just me up there and I don't have to worry about anything else.”

If Pickron isn’t recording Charly’s every move from the moment she steps on the board, she is standing by the water showing Sharp exactly what she needs to improve on. Pickron and Sharp have high expectations as they prepare for state.

“I'm super excited, I never thought I would actually get here, but I'm excited and I feel happy about going,” Sharp said. “I hope to at least make it to the second round. I’m going to just try my best.”