Diving into the deep end of the pool

When Hewlett High School swimming and diving head coach Gregg Solnick asked for divers to join the team nearly five years ago, Rayna Smilowitz couldn’t have predicted the path it would lead her down.

“I love the sheer adrenaline rush each time I dive,” said Smilowitz, who joined the team as a seventh-grader.

On Nov. 7, Smilowitz, now a Hewlett High junior, broke a diving record previously held by Deborah Glaser, the current assistant boys swimming and diving coach at Hewlett High School, while competing at the Nassau County finals. “It felt like all of the hours of practice finally paid off,” she said.

Smilowitz surpassed Glaser’s previous record of 354.89 with a score of 438.65. “I was happy for Rayna to break the record because records are meant to be broken,” Glaser said. “To be even a little part of the record being broken is amazing, but I was definitely a little sad that my name won’t be up there anymore. It was up there for a while and now Rayna’s name will be up there a lot longer. I think her numbers are amazing and it will take a lot to break them.”

Glaser, a 2000 graduate of Hewlett High School, has known Smilowitz for three years. “She is one of the sweetest, most diligent and talented divers that I have had the ability to help coach and observe since my days as a diver,” Glaser said. “Being able to help divers, having once been a diver, is an amazing feeling because I know how scary it can be to learn a new dive. You definitely have to be fearless and determined to learn and perfect a dive.”

Last year, Smilowitz said she almost missed the state competition due to an injury she suffered while diving. But she was determined to make the states this year.

Smilowitz’s determination paid off as she went on to compete after the county finals at the New York State swimming and diving championships held at Ithaca College from Nov. 21-23. “Before the meet I had some pre-meet jitters,” she said. “I did not land my first four dives as well as I could have and almost missed the cut from the preliminaries to the finals.”

Smilowitz finished the competition in 11th place, with a score of 408.50. “It was exciting and amazing; just to qualify is really hard and I got the opportunity to dive against the best of the best from all over New York State,” she said.

Kelly Padavan, the Hewlett High girls swimming and diving coach, said, “Going to the New York State swimming and diving championships is a different meet — it’s a long weekend and she’s competing against girls who are just as good as her,” Padavan said. “I was really proud.”

Future plans for Smilowitz include majoring in business at college and continuing her diving career, she said.

“My hope for her in the future is that she continues to love diving and prepares herself for another great year next year as a senior in high school,” Padavan said. “If she wishes to dive in college, I hope she follows her dreams.”