Send your questions to diver@laurawilkinson.com and I'll answer
them right here!  Don't forget to put your name and where you're from.
If you attach a picture of yourself, I'd love to post it next to your question!

Question:  "Whenever you learn a new dive do you get scared?"
--Makena
 
Laura's Answer:  Yes!!!  It's totally normal to be nervous or scared.  I just learned several
new dives last year (2006) and I was very nervous to learn them.  But there is a very awesome side to being
scared... and that's being able to overcome your fears!  If you look at the menu bar to the left and click on
"Journal" then scroll down to "The Big One" Dec. 28, 2002, I talk about a dive that I was VERY scared to
learn and how I overcame that.  I still look back at that journal entry to remember that it's okay to be scared
and to remind myself that I have the right tools to overcome that fear!
 
Question:  "What are the 5 most important thing to you?"
--Jordie in Virginia
 
Laura's Answer:  1. God  2.  My husband, Eriek  3.  My family  4.  My friends  5.  Diving
 
Question:  "I’m working on my 107B on 3m and on 10m, but every time I go to do it
I anticipate my call and come out at a 106. Do you have any suggestions that might help.?"
--Lauren
 
Laura's Answer:  A 107b is definitely a long time to wait for a call!  If your club has a trampoline
or a dryboard with a belt, I would suggest doing several 107b's in the belt so you start to get comfortable
with hanging on for three and a half somersaults.  If that is not an option, there's really only one other solution,
no matter how much you want to come out, you have to trust your coach and wait for the call.  I know that is hard
but you have to understand that three and a half somersaults feels A LOT LONGER than two and a half!
Your coach wants you to make the dive, so he or she will call you at the right time! 
 
Question:  "How many hours a day did you train when you were a teenage diver?"
--Shaney in Gilbert, Arizona
 
Laura's Answer:  Our workouts were probably about 3 hours long after school, but I often stayed
and played around long after practice was over (I just couldn't get enough!).  My coach also had a
very early morning practice 2 days a week for those of us who could make it.
 
Question:  "Why did you start diving?"
--Emma
 
Laura's Answer:  When I quit gymnastics I tried a bunch of other sports, but I missed the flipping and twisting.
The very first day I tried diving, I loved it and I couldn't get enough of it!
 
Question:  "Is it hard being a Gold medal winner!?"
--Libby
 
Laura's Answer:  Yes and no.  The hardest part about being a gold medal winner is the pressure to
always be the best.  Everyone is always trying to defeat you and that can be very distracting.  I used to have a
hard time going in to meets where I was the "Defending Gold Medalist" because I was scared to lose the title.
But what I've learned is that even when I've won a title in the past, going into the next meet, no one has won yet,
so there is nothing to lose.  I have to go after it just like everyone else!
Otherwise, being a gold medal winner is pretty cool :)
 
Question:  "When did you start diving and how old were you when you did your first competition?"
--Emma
 
Laura's Answer:  I started diving in 1993 and I was 15 years old.
At my first competition, I was 16 years old.
 
Question:  "I am a mother of 3 young divers. We only practice 2-3 days a week.
Our school does not have a pool so there is not much access.
Could you offer some tips on cross training?"
--Tami in Upstate New York
 
Laura's Answer:  When you are young, probably the best cross training you can do, is stretching!
I believe that stretching is a vital part of diving and when you can start it young, not only will you have great
flexibility when you are older but it will make learning harder dives easier and it is also a great injury prevention!
When you stretch on a regular basis, your muscles recover from activity better and you are less likely to pull muscles.
At a young age, like your girls, some good stretches they can work on are pike stretches and splits.
Also, just staying active while doing activities they enjoy will help with their endurance.
 
Question:   "Is it hard to keep friends when you work so hard at diving?"
-- Sara
 
Laura's Answer:  In a word- yes.  Most of the friends that I have are teammates or former
teammates, so they are very understanding of what I do and the amount of time I spend doing it.
I do have several friends from outside of diving and the hardest part is just them understanding
the time commitment that diving takes.  Good friends will do their best to understand and will be
forgiving when there may be a period of time when we don't get to talk too much.  But I also have
to work hard at making sure I see them every chance I get,  scheduling special dinners or
just time to hang out and making parties and special events when I can.
 
Question:   "How did you become a diver for the Olympics?"
-- Lindsay
 
Laura's Answer:  I started diving when I was 15.  I had always had the dream of going to the
Olympics even when I was a little gymnast.  I advanced pretty quickly in diving with my gymnastics
background and by my second year of diving I had a full 10 meter list and was competing at the
senior national level.  I missed qualifying for the Olympic Trials in 1996, but qualified in 2000.  At the
2000 Olympic Trials, you had to place in the top 2 to make the Olympic Team and I was first place.
And that's how I earned my first Olympic berth.
 
Question:   "Have you ever had eating problems?"
-- Chiara in Italy
 
Laura's Answer:  Unfortunately in subjective sports like diving where you are judged,
eating disorders are not unusual.  It can be hard to stand up in front of a crowd in nothing but a
bathing suit and know that you are being judged on your appearance as well as the aesthetics of
your dive.  But you have to believe that the number on the scale is not your value as a person!
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, please seek help because they can cause devastating
health problems including death.  Here are a few websites that may guide you to help:
www.renfrewcenter.com
 www.something-fishy.org
 

Question:   "What does Laura do with all of her medals?"
-- Katy in Marion, Iowa
 

Laura's Answer:  Right now I have them in their boxes
(so they don't get messed up) in a cabinet in my bedroom.
I like to be able to get to them easily so I can show
people who want to see them.
 
Question:  "Do you know your schedule yet for Revolve?"
--Lynne Parmenter, My Mother-in-law
 
Laura's Answer:  Revolve is visiting 10 different cities this year(2006),
but I can only attend 5 due to training for the
2007 World Championships.  I be speaking in Columbus, OH;
Ft. Lauderdale, FL; St. Louis, MO; Anaheim, CA; & Dallas, TX.
 
Question:  "When do you want to have kids?"
--Jessica in San Marino, California
 
Laura's Answer:  I am so excited to start a family!  But I am going
to wait until after I retire from diving following the 2008 Olympics.