Billy Hoy ‘18:
The Boys’ Athlete of the Month for December is Vlad Puskovitch ‘20.
After winning the Inter-Ac last year as a freshman, Puskovitch, a sophomore member of the Varsity Diving Team, has something to prove this season and he expects nothing less than success.
Puskovitch feels “confident this upcoming season.” However, he mentions an upcoming threat in this season’s competition. “Malvern has a good diver, Nick Harris. He is only in eighth grade but he is still a competitor.”
Explaining how he became a top diver in the Inter-Ac, Puskovitch references one of the factors that has allowed him to become so successful. According to Puskovitch, diving “is a sport you have to start when you are younger.” Puskovitch started diving when he was eight or nine. “I know some people who started even earlier than that,” he adds.
His favorite dive is the inward one and half tuck. He says, “It’s really fun to do. I can practically do it with my eyes closed at this point.”
Photo Courtesy of Jessica Brady ‘18
A leader through example, Puskovitch puts the focus on his teammates, “My favorite part of the team is all the kids. Everyone is really nice and it is a great environment to be a part of.”
Puskovitch addresses the composition of the team for this season, saying optimistically, “We don’t have a lot of kids on the dive team this year. We have a lot of talent even though we only have 13 kids.”
Even in the fierce competition of the Inter-Ac, Vlad’s teammates say he contributes to the team in intangible ways. Wren Sablich ‘18 says, “Vlad’s energy and enthusiasm that he brings to practice each day always keep the mood light and fun. He is also very supportive to anyone who is struggling with a dive.”
Another teammate on the dive team, Maia Golub ‘18, also recognizes Vlad’s contribution to the team: “Vlad is so supportive. He wants the best for everyone. Not only is he a team player, he is there to support us and vice versa.”
Puskovitch works very hard to become a better diver, recognizing that “the key for diving is to get as many reps as possible.” Yet, he still finds time for other activities as well when he is not in the pool. “I listen to a lot of music. Also, I enjoy playing music as well….I play the drums mainly and also the guitar,” Puskovitch explains.