Indiana University Athletics
Student Spotlight: James Connor
2/20/2017 9:40:00 AM | General, Men's Swimming and Diving, Student-Athlete Services
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – People forget about the stairs on the platform tower.
That's one of the subtle challenges James Connor noted about diving. The sport is a catch-22 in itself, Connor said, that a diver's job is to make difficult feats look effortless.
Maybe that's why, as Connor pointed out, the stairs are hidden behind the tower.
"I liken it to walking to a class on an upper floor of Ballantine Hall, where I'm almost winded after two flights," Connor laughed. "And when you're diving, all you're thinking about is what you need to do at the top. So you're running up the stairs, you get to the top, and now you're expected to dive after climbing five flights of stairs."
The stairs aren't something that truly bothers Connor, for he's climbed thousands of flights since he began on the boards as an eight-year-old. By age 10, Connor was training at national institutes as often as 10 times per week.
Much of Connor's diving career escalated at this rate. He represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games for the first time in 2010, when he was 15. Two years later, he hit the marks to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
At times, Connor was so wrapped up in the moment that he couldn't believe what he had accomplished.
"I was on the national team before I thought that was something I could really aspire to or achieve. I was on the plane to the Olympics before I ever thought I could make it there," Connor said. "I always came to the pool because it was part of my routine, and I would try to do as well as I could because I thought it was what I wanted to be doing at the time. I never really thought it would be possible to achieve these goals until I did it for the first time in London."
Connor met his future head coach, Drew Johansen, on the pool deck in London that year. That connection, added to his long-standing friendship with current diver Jessica Parratto, guided him to Indiana. The relationship between Connor and "Coach Drew" has proven fruitful so far, both at the collegiate and international level.
As a freshman, Connor completed a declarative first season. He was the Big Ten's Diver of the Championships after taking the crown on the 3-meter and platform events. Later that year, at the NCAA Championships, Connor was the only men's diver in the NCAA to reach the finals on all three boards. He finished runner-up on the platform with a fourth-place finish on the 3-meter board.
"I guess I didn't pace myself, did I? I came in my first year and had the best year I could ever hope to have," Connor said. "It was an incredible experience in my first year diving for IU and Coach Drew. The success caught me off guard, but those accomplishments are something I look back on fondly."
Connor took his Olympic redshirt after an illustrious freshman campaign, leading to his second-consecutive trip to the summer games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The experience was, in many ways, vastly different from his time in London. For one, he wasn't as "star struck" by seeing legends both within his sport and on the global scale—any 17 year-old athlete would be awestruck by holding the door for Roger Federer.
One of his favorite changes from his first to second experience was his team dynamic. In London, Connor stood tall with the Australian National Team and developed a sense of pride in representing his country. In Rio, he relived the glory while adding a new element: joining the band of Indiana swimmers and divers that made waves at the 2016 Olympics.
"The numbers that we had there were a testament to what we do here with coach Looze and coach Johansen at the helm, pushing the program from strength to strength," Connor said. "To be a part of both communities at once in Rio was the best example of having your cake and eating it too."
Connor took note to savor the closing ceremonies in Rio, when the Japanese committee gave their preview of their Summer Olympics in 2020. He wanted to see what was in store should he achieve his goal of a third Olympic qualification.
But Connor isn't going to rush anything. He's been playing catch-up with his achievements ever since that first appearance at the Commonwealth Games, and he wants to enjoy every step of the way.
Right now, that's with the #IURedRevolution as they take the water next weekend at the Big Ten Championships.
"We're looking forward to Big Tens and NCAAs and we hope to give a showing that proves our success this year was no fluke," said Connor. "I still have another two years after this season, and I hope to make the most of them."
That's one of the subtle challenges James Connor noted about diving. The sport is a catch-22 in itself, Connor said, that a diver's job is to make difficult feats look effortless.
Maybe that's why, as Connor pointed out, the stairs are hidden behind the tower.
"I liken it to walking to a class on an upper floor of Ballantine Hall, where I'm almost winded after two flights," Connor laughed. "And when you're diving, all you're thinking about is what you need to do at the top. So you're running up the stairs, you get to the top, and now you're expected to dive after climbing five flights of stairs."
The stairs aren't something that truly bothers Connor, for he's climbed thousands of flights since he began on the boards as an eight-year-old. By age 10, Connor was training at national institutes as often as 10 times per week.
Much of Connor's diving career escalated at this rate. He represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games for the first time in 2010, when he was 15. Two years later, he hit the marks to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
At times, Connor was so wrapped up in the moment that he couldn't believe what he had accomplished.
"I was on the national team before I thought that was something I could really aspire to or achieve. I was on the plane to the Olympics before I ever thought I could make it there," Connor said. "I always came to the pool because it was part of my routine, and I would try to do as well as I could because I thought it was what I wanted to be doing at the time. I never really thought it would be possible to achieve these goals until I did it for the first time in London."
Connor met his future head coach, Drew Johansen, on the pool deck in London that year. That connection, added to his long-standing friendship with current diver Jessica Parratto, guided him to Indiana. The relationship between Connor and "Coach Drew" has proven fruitful so far, both at the collegiate and international level.
As a freshman, Connor completed a declarative first season. He was the Big Ten's Diver of the Championships after taking the crown on the 3-meter and platform events. Later that year, at the NCAA Championships, Connor was the only men's diver in the NCAA to reach the finals on all three boards. He finished runner-up on the platform with a fourth-place finish on the 3-meter board.
"I guess I didn't pace myself, did I? I came in my first year and had the best year I could ever hope to have," Connor said. "It was an incredible experience in my first year diving for IU and Coach Drew. The success caught me off guard, but those accomplishments are something I look back on fondly."
Connor took his Olympic redshirt after an illustrious freshman campaign, leading to his second-consecutive trip to the summer games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The experience was, in many ways, vastly different from his time in London. For one, he wasn't as "star struck" by seeing legends both within his sport and on the global scale—any 17 year-old athlete would be awestruck by holding the door for Roger Federer.
One of his favorite changes from his first to second experience was his team dynamic. In London, Connor stood tall with the Australian National Team and developed a sense of pride in representing his country. In Rio, he relived the glory while adding a new element: joining the band of Indiana swimmers and divers that made waves at the 2016 Olympics.
"The numbers that we had there were a testament to what we do here with coach Looze and coach Johansen at the helm, pushing the program from strength to strength," Connor said. "To be a part of both communities at once in Rio was the best example of having your cake and eating it too."
Connor took note to savor the closing ceremonies in Rio, when the Japanese committee gave their preview of their Summer Olympics in 2020. He wanted to see what was in store should he achieve his goal of a third Olympic qualification.
But Connor isn't going to rush anything. He's been playing catch-up with his achievements ever since that first appearance at the Commonwealth Games, and he wants to enjoy every step of the way.
Right now, that's with the #IURedRevolution as they take the water next weekend at the Big Ten Championships.
"We're looking forward to Big Tens and NCAAs and we hope to give a showing that proves our success this year was no fluke," said Connor. "I still have another two years after this season, and I hope to make the most of them."
Players Mentioned
Diving
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