On February 27, Tenafly High School’s Derek Hong (’25) left Montgomery High School in Skillman, New York, proudly defending his title at the NJSIAA Boys Diving Championship. What started as a fun hobby at summer camp in 2019 blossomed into a competitive diving career when lifeguards noticed Hong’s talent and encouraged him to pursue diving.
Hong’s training regimen is rigorous, with six days a week dedicated to practice. Each session lasts 3 hours and 30 minutes, which makes a week’s worth of training approximately 20 hours. His practice includes dryland exercises for conditioning and stretching, followed by water practice to perfect his dives. Despite the demanding schedule, Hong manages to balance diving with his academic commitments. During the hour-long car ride after practice, he tries to complete his homework and study. Hong recognizes that “diving is a very mentally and physically challenging sport” that requires calm nerves, patience, and practice. Before any meet, Hong tries to “clear [his] mind by listening to music and talking to [his] mom about his mindset.” Having a clear and positive mindset can dramatically impact an athlete’s performance by elevating their physical skills and helping them deal with pre-competition nerves.
Before Hong started diving, he was mentally weak and did not have set goals to pursue. However, “diving has taught [him] that there are only a few seconds to complete dives at really fast speeds” and that time cannot be rewinded to change mistakes from the past. When he experiences failures, Hong reminds himself to look forward and improve on his next dives rather than worry about his past mistakes.
Diving does more than help Hong prioritize his physical health. What he loves most about the sport are the people he meets along the way. Friends, teammates, coaches, and mentors are just some of the people who cheer him on from the sidelines and make overcoming the challenges easier. However, throughout his diving career, his parents have been his greatest source of inspiration. “They have worked so hard to provide me with the resources to pursue my diving and academic career, and I am forever grateful for the opportunities they have given me,” Hong said.
Winning the NJSIAA Boys Diving Championship twice in a row is an exciting accomplishment for Hong, and he is extremely proud to represent Tenafly High School. Hong’s advice for aspiring athletes hoping to achieve his level of success is to recognize the importance of repetition. “The more you do something, the more improvement you see in the skill you are trying to improve,” Hong said. As he makes a splash in his diving career, Hong is thrilled to continue his diving career at Columbia University in the fall of 2025.
