Former Eagle Gould ends stellar career

Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Tim, Mary, Sam and Jake Gould celebrate a first and third-place finish by Sam at the CCIW Diving championships in the three-meter diving and one-meter diving events respectively. (Courtesy Photo)

Sam Gould, an alum of South Putnam High School and a senior mechanical engineering major at Rose-Hulman, finished his competitive diving career "with a bang" in the Feb. 27 regional competition after completing an inward 2.5 turn somersault for his last-ever 3-meter dive. He also pegged his best 3-meter finish at a regional contest with a score of 405.75 to place 14th out of 22 overall. His 1-meter performance earned him 20th out of 24 overall with a score of 359.60, and his alma mater named him Athlete of the Week for the fourth time in his college career.

Although he didn't get the opportunity to compete at nationals, scores and accolades like these are no uncommon thing in one of the most notable diving careers in Rose-Hulman history.

Gould has been diving for a total of 10 years, having got his start in diving as a seventh-grader at South Putnam High School.

"I was a swimmer for a couple of years in elementary school," Gould said. "I had jumped off the park pool diving board before, but was generally terrified of the idea (of diving)."

But when his older brother, Jake Gould, decided to try out for the team, sibling rivalry got the better of him. He started training with a trampoline, and he wound up getting the better of big brother Jake.

Sam Gould participates in the CCIW diving championships. (Courtesy Photo)

"From that point on I fell in love with the sport."

Gould's success in high school caught the eye of Keith Crawford, the head swimming and diving coach at Rose-Hulman. Before the recruiting process began, Coach Crawford had known Gould for five years as a good student and a diver with "strong scores."

"He's a great kid," Crawford said. "As far as being a great student and a great athlete, he's also a great person. He's very coachable and he listens."

Gould started making an impression right away.

As a freshman he took the CCIW title in the 1-meter and 3-meter contest. He was named Diver of the Week twice by Rose-Hulman and once by the CCIW. He was also recognized as Rose-Hulman's Most Valuable Diver of the Year.

His success continued, reaching a peak his junior year. He has never finished lower than third in any conference event, and took first four times. Of the four possible diving records at Rose-Hulman, Gould currently holds three in the 3-meter 6-dive (which he broke twice), 3-meter 11-dive and the 1-meter 11-dive.

Between Rose-Hulman and CCIW, he has been named Diver of the Week a total of 15 times and Rose-Hulman's Most Valuable Diver of the Year a total of three. During his sophomore year he was an honorable mention for the Scholar All-Academic Team and received all-conference academic honors his junior year.

For the first time in school history, the Rose-Hulman swimming and diving team have been the conference champions for the last two years. But he attributes a great deal of his success to others, namely Josh Maurer and Regen Foote, with whom he has been diving all four years.

"Without their support," he said, "I'm not sure any of us would have made it through. Also, my college coaches Glen Miller and Carey Stapleton were pivotal. Having constant love and support from my family through all of this has made my career so much more enjoyable."

This past year has been full of hopes and dreams for shattering the 3-meter 11-dive record and for finally reaching nationals. Although neither came to fruition, Gould showed his champion's spirit when he returned to diving after what could have been a serious injury earlier in the season.

"I've asked myself why I dive many times during my career," he said. "After sustaining a series of injuries this season, during one of which I hit my head and both hands on the board, I wondered whether it was worth continuing and risking my life. The next week I got back on the board and faced my fear.

"Life is full of fears and missed opportunities... I used it as a life lesson and carried on doing what I love. I don't know that I could forgive myself for quitting."

After graduation this spring, Gould plans to continue pursuing his love for diving by either joining a master's diving program or becoming a coach.

"One of my past diving coaches told me that he is not a diving coach. He is just a life coach that happens to use diving as a tool for teaching," Gould said. "That's what I would like to do."

When he's not coaching life to young divers, he will be putting his mechanical engineering degree to work for Milwaukee Tools in Wisconsin as he invents "the tools of tomorrow."

"I never thought I would say this, but I'm pretty sure I will miss Rose-Hulman," Gould added. "There are some sparkling moments that have made these past four years the best years of my life. I don't know what's in store, but for now I'm going to take it one day at a time and trust that God will put me where He needs me."

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  • So proud of you Sam for everything you have done in the pool and in the classroom. Can't wait to see what the future holds for you!

    -- Posted by lduggan69 on Wed, Mar 16, 2016, at 6:33 AM
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