Lower Merion’s Amari Brown-Swint is Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week
The senior diver and Aces captain, a four-time PIAA District 1 and PIAA Class 3A state meet qualifier, set the Lower Merion pool record Feb. 9 with a mark of 291.00. She finished in third place at the PIAA District 1 3A championships Feb. 20 at North Penn High School. Next fall, she will be diving for North Carolina State University. Lower Merion diving coach Carol Gibbone said, “Amari is a very bright and energetic young lady with many notable talents and invaluable attributes, and she finds great assurance in her belief in God and our Lord Jesus Christ who supplies strength in all her achievements, and encouragement her in moments of doubt.
Her distinguished diving career can be ascribed to her superb physical strength, flexibility and dedication.”
Q: You set the Lower Merion pool record Feb. 9. What was the key to your success that day?
A: That day will always go down as one of my best diving competitions mentally and physically. I have always had mental issues with my diving and staying focused but this time it was honestly very different. I decided to change my thinking, not trying to focus on impressing people but impress God and focus on God, along with being confident in the gift the Lord has given me. Especially my front two and one half, I have always had mental blocks when it came to doing that dive, but at this meet it was the best one I have ever done.
Q: You are the granddaughter of Philadelphia Dance Company founder and executive artistic director Joan Myers Brown. Can you tell us how your early dance training helps your diving? What is the most important thing you learned from your grandmother?
A: Before I could remember my whole life had been dance, taking classes at the age of two and running through the building. Philadanco was my second home and I had no choice but to take classes but I am so thankful that I did. It gave me the form I have today and I am thankful for that along with my amazing Grandma. My Gannie has taught me so many things, but one of the most important things she taught me is perseverance through the storm and doing all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Q: What (in your opinion) has been your best dive so far this season? What was the key to your performance on that dive?
A: Personally my front one and one half with a full twist has been my best dive this season. Not only was it the most consistent but one of my highest scoring dives. The key to always hitting the dive was my confidence of not only doing it a lot but hitting them consistently.
Q: What are your best dives, in order?
A: This is a hard question but I would say my reverse one and one half, reverse dive, full twisting one and one half, front one and one half, and front two and one half.
Q: What aspect of your diving have you been working on the most recently?
A: Recently I have been mostly working on the mental aspects of diving and preparing for a competition without fear – I have been getting a lot better recently, but it’s not as consistent as I would like it.
Q: What, to you, is the major difference between indoor and outdoor diving competitions?
A: Honestly, diving outside is a different sport and it works around the weather. In diving it’s important to spot, but when you’re outside and the sun is in your way, you can’t. Also bugs and leaves love to follow you around. But worst of all when it’s really cold out, so is the water, so those practices aren’t the best.
Q: What’s the coolest place you’ve ever dove from?
A: The coolest faculty I have ever dove at would have to be pool in Riverside, Calif. – it was beautiful! It’s a National event and it’s one of my favorite places to compete.
Q: You competed in the 2018 USA Diving Junior Nationals. What is your most vivid memory from that competition?
A: That meet was one of my favorites – it was in Atlanta, and everyone there was so talented. The competition was high but the experience was worth every part of it. I saw a lot of Olympians and famous divers, along with my favorite diver ever, Jordan Windle – he was a major inspiration that got me into diving.
Q: Tell us a little about your pre-meet preparation the day of a meet.
A: My pre-meet preparation honestly depends on if it’s a big meet or not. If it’s a small high school meet then I normally stretch, pray, then enjoy a protein bar, and pump up to some music. But if it’s a big meet then all I do is constantly pray and stay in the word of God to distract myself from the pressure of the competition.
Q: Take us through a typical workout session, both in the pool and in the weight room.
A: A typical pool workout is warming up with some jumps, bounces, and line ups. Then I do about three of each of my harder dives and finish up with my basic dives/skills and drills. When I am out of the pool and in the weight room, I just focus mainly on my legs working squats and stability, along with doing some one-legged jumps and squats. Then I finish up with some stretching.
Q: What will you be majoring in at North Carolina State University? Is there a particular career path that interests you at the present time?
A: I will be majoring in Biostatistics and currently I will be a part of the college of sciences, pursuing Pre-Med.
Fun facts – Amari Brown-Swint
Favorite book: It Ends With Us, by Colleen Hoover.
Favorite author: Penelope Douglas.
Favorite TV show: Grey’s Anatomy.
Favorite movie: Another Cinderella Story.
Favorite athlete: Tim Tebow.
Favorite pre-meet pump-up song: Confident – Justin Bieber.
Favorite team: Carolina Hurricanes.
Favorite place to visit: Jamaica.
Favorite pre-meet meal: Fit protein bars.
Person I most admire, and why: “Jesus Christ because he is the most loving, caring man to ever step foot on this Earth, who was crucified for everyone’s wrongdoings, not even his own. He is both God and Man and flesh. He is who I aspire to live my life like.
Family members: father Kevin Swint, mother Marlisa Brown Swint, sister Mariah Brown Swint.
(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)
