One of the greatest diving careers in Benet Academy history almost never happened. Over the past three years, senior Elin Eiseman transformed a serious cheerleading injury into a record-setting rise on the Redwing diving board. This story is sponsored by Fair Oaks Ford and Fair Oaks Lincoln.
Turning a setback into a new opportunity
“I did competitive gymnastics for seven years, and then I did diving kind of as a fun thing over the summers. And I actually came to Benet to be on the cheer team. I made varsity cheer in my freshman year, and I ended up getting injured. And I had elbow surgery that freshman year. So I was unable to do anything. And the first thing I could go back to was diving. So that’s how I started diving my sophomore year,” said Benet Academy senior diver Elin Eiseman.
Benet Academy diving has an interesting history. Despite being home to the 2012 state diving champion, Taylor Kramer, only a handful of divers have been a part of the program over the past decade.
Due to the low numbers, the school did not have an official diving coach, meaning Elin Eiseman had to do a lot of the work on her own once she joined as a sophomore in the fall of 2023. Despite the challenges, she quickly realized that diving provided her the best opportunity to continue her athletic career with the black and red.
“I think it was towards the end of my gymnastics career that I realized I had a lot more fun doing diving, and it was a lot less pressure, injury-wise,” said Eiseman. “And I just started getting really good at it. And then my sophomore year, when I was able to finally go back to the sport, I was like, Oh, I can actually do this because cheer and gymnastics weren’t options anymore. I just wanted to stay active. So diving was the best option.”
Eiseman turns to Natalie Lefkowitz to take her to a higher level
While training on her own at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont, Eiseman approached a former Naperville Central diver, Natalie Lefkowitz, about becoming her coach for her senior season. As a teammate of two-time state champion Sydney Dusel, the former Redhawk knows the amount of work it takes to become an elite performer.
“Last year, I was at a different high school, and I would come here to coach club, and it was to my surprise to learn that Elin wasn’t here for extra practice,” said Benet diving coach Natalie Leftowitz. “This was the only practice that she had found for herself. She was her own head coach, her sophomore and junior years, and come the start of the school year, she asked me if I would be her coach. And I could not be more proud of the amazing diver and woman she has become. I am Benet’s first official head diving coach, but Elin does take the title as Benet’s first head coach, and having to do it for herself is an amazing feat.”
Just like Elin, Coach Lefkowitz also had a winding journey before getting involved in both diving and coaching.
“I was actually pulled into diving by a friend of mine. And I was not good whatsoever. I have a big background in figure skating. So starting it was very intimidating, especially having Sydney Dusel as someone to look up to. There were 12 girls on my team, so I was kind of forgotten about a little bit,” said Lefkowtiz. “I was not good. Over the years, I was able to continue progressing. But by the end of my senior year, the passion I had for diving was really extinguished. But I am very, very grateful and lucky to have met Steve Mazzarella, who is a coach at Naperville North, who helped me realize that my passion was now for coaching. So instead of continuing to dive in college, I went straight to coaching high school as well as being a professional circus performer. As crazy as that sounds. So I did take a little bit of a change when it came to athletics, but my passion for coaching the sport that taught me through highs and lows and what it was to hit rock bottom, is something that I’m really grateful for.”
A record-breaking senior season for Elin Eiseman
The work with Coach Lefkowitz immediately delivered some of the top performances the Redwing diving program has ever seen. Early in her senior campaign, Taylor Kramer’s school records in both the six and eleven dive categories, with a score of 243.75 in the six dive.
“It just made me very proud of myself, especially because going through injuries and being done with gymnastics, because I was a state champion in gymnastics, and then doing something for my own school, I never thought I was going to be able to do it, “ said Eiseman
In addition to resetting the record books, Eiseman and Lefkowitz have helped breathe new life into the diving program itself, with several new divers joining the team, including fellow varsity performer Molly Jessopp.
At the Neuqua Valley sectional, Eiseman recorded her best-ever sectional performance, finishing in fifth place overall with a score of 403.21. Unfortunately, it was just a few points shy of earning an at-large spot at the state meet. Regardless, there is a great sense of pride in all that Eiseman and Coach Lefkowitz have accomplished this season.
“I couldn’t think of a more well-rounded student athlete or person to be able to represent Benet and hold these titles, and she’s definitely someone that our future divers are going to have to look up to. And I’m very proud to be her coach and to see her grow,” said Coach Lefkowitz.
“It just feels amazing because before I started diving, there wasn’t anyone for ten years, and I was just happy I was able to bring it back. And since my time here, we’ve had three other divers. So it’s just it’s wonderful like that this season has been swim and dive. It hasn’t just been swimming, and, thankfully, we can get points, which just feels wonderful,” said Eiseman.
For Naperville Sports Weekly, I’m Justin Cornwell.
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