The Olympic Trials is an opportunity for young athletes to compete for a chance to represent the U.S. team. All the individuals who make it to this event are outstanding athletes who earned qualifying scores at an earlier meet. 

 Last year the Olympic Trials took place from June 4th to June 10th. Two Boca High students qualified–Seniors Emilie Moore for diving and Max Zum Tobel for swimming. 

“This year because of COVID, not a lot of people could go to competitions because there were not a lot, so they had a last chance qualifier, which lucked out in my team’s favor because you were able to do a recording at your home pool and record it and submit for evaluation where they would score,” said Moore. 

A large fraction of being able to qualify for the trials is being able to receive an outstanding score to receive an invite in. In Moore’s case, she was able to submit a video for advanced coaches trained for olympic level diving to score, which resulted in Emilie being able to go both on tower and 3 meter.

“I was working the whole summer and I was a 10th off or a couple 100s off and at my last chance and my last meet to qualify, I did it, ” said Zum Tobel. 

Max is a hardworking swimmer that recently broke a school record from1991 on his 200 Freestyle with a time of 140.15. Max worked very diligently the whole summer to receive a certain score and time to qualify for the swimming trials. The last chance he had to receive the score and time, he did it, which truly shows how all his hard work that summer paid off to make his goal become a reality. 

Both individuals were shocked with themselves, how they were able to be given such an experience at such a young age. 

“It was the best of the best in the US and it was so cool that I was able to go at such a young age and experience that,” said Moore. 

Max and Emilie were both in awe of the idea of the Olympic Trials and could not believe that they were at such an advanced meet, while still being an ordinary teenager in high school. The Olympic trials overall advanced the idea of swimming and diving for each individual. 

“It really showed me what the next level is because it was my first really big meet like that and I was one of the youngest kids there,” said Zum Tobel. “When you’re getting ready to race it was really nerve racking, with how everyone was watching and how quiet it was.” 

The nerves that the students endured at this event were out of their control, since they felt it was their first large and most relevant event in their whole sports career.

The Olympic Trials was such an impactful and important event to Emilie and Max, as well as other individuals who qualified and revealed the true talents of their performance. Specifically, Max was able to meet a coach who worked for the college which later recruited him–North Carolina State University. The Olympic Trials will forever impact their careers as a swimmer and as a diver.

“The Olympics is my goal, so it’s another step towards that goal,” said Moore. 

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