ElliReese Niday continues to impress at American Cup

Dominion Post

15 hours ago

MORGANTOWN — Most 13-year-olds are at summer camp, on vacation or annoying their parents. But for ElliReese Niday, her summers look a lot different. It does revolve around cooling off in a pool, but it's not to play or keep occupied.
Niday stood with her toes on the platform and her heels hanging off. Under her is a 30-foot-plus drop into water. Niday propelled herself up in the air, flipped and turned, hitting the water with minimal splash.
Niday surfaced to a round of applause, and on the board, one of the highest scores.
Niday, the 13-year-old, posted one of the highest scores on the 10-meter dive at the American Cup for Team USA at Peak Health Aquatic Center in Morgantown. She accomplished that feat against fellow U.S. divers hopeful to one day compete in the Olympics, but also against divers from countries such as South Korea, Australia, Egypt and Japan.
This is Niday's fourth senior-level competition after sweeping the junior ranks. She's already secured first at one national event.
Niday's a phenom. And she only started just a couple of years ago when she was seven.
Her roots could've hinted at a potential future sensation. Niday's mother is former standout Tennessee diver ​​Lauryn McCalley Niday, who was a five-time All-American.
Team USA coach and Auburn diving coach John Fox met ElliReese at his diving club when she first started. He knew her mother's history and had an idea of what was to come.
'Her mom was an amazing diver,' Fox said. 'I had an inkling the first day, she was going to be a big talent.'
A 13-year-old on the national level isn't normal. It is a lot to endure for a girl who is not even old enough to be interviewed. In Niday's case, it actually helps that she is so young. Niday doesn't feel too much pressure because she just enjoys diving, and the success is just a byproduct.
'She's a little girl and she really loves diving,' Fox said. 'That's what we focus on. The joy of competing. Of course, she's going to feel some pressure, but I think she loves applied pressure. She enjoys the competitive space, and I think that's a gift.'
It's been a gift for Fox, too. He's never coached a girl this young at this caliber, and he's coached for over a decade. As much as Niday is learning how to navigate this level of competition, Fox is also learning how to coach someone this young and talented.
'It's a new thing for me,' Fox said. 'I can tell you that. I'm learning every day. It's really a joy of my life. It's a blessing.'
After the prelims were over, the scores were shown on the board. At the top was ElliReese Niday. She came first, more than 40 points above second place. Niday looks to win another national event Saturday afternoon in the finals. Fox said Niday's routine will look similar to Thursday's.
With the cap and goggles on and being so high up, you couldn't tell she was 13. After the scores were shown, you'd think she's a veteran.
Nope, Niday is just a 13-year-old spending her summer vacation in a different way than the average middle schooler. Niday's goals are the same, though, to have fun.
'I think the goals for her this weekend are just to execute each dive, one at a time, in a way that we can look at it and know that she did everything she could to finish the dive,' Fox said. 'Give her best effort and put our best foot forward on the senior international circuit.'