You’ve probably seen the class of 2020’s accounts on Instagram, showing the seniors of your school, what school they plan to attend, and the majors and minors they plan to pursue. Recently across the Solon High School accounts, more and more junior athletes have been submitting their commitment to colleges in the middle or towards the end of their junior years.
In 2019, eleven-year-old Mitchell Caldwell won the USA Diving Junior National Championship and went on to represent Team USA in Chile. Mitchell Caldwell is now a junior at Solon High School and has qualified for states in his freshman and sophomore years.
These achievements have brought Mitchell Caldwell recognition from universities throughout the US.
“I have visited NC State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Indiana University, University of Tennessee and University of Arizona,” Caldwell said.
When comparing the universities, Mitchell Caldwell looked at multiple things like the team and program of each university.
“I liked the University of Arizona the best because it was super warm, and I loved the environment, the team and that they practice outside,” Caldwell said. “It was a great team culture, and I felt like I fit the program really well.”
Mitchell Caldwell first began diving when he was eight-years-old.
“[I began diving because] my sister was a gymnast, so I started gymnastics,” Caldwell said. “She switched over to diving when she quit gymnastics, so I did the same and followed her.”
Carrie Caldwell, Mitchell Caldwell’s mother, remembers her son’s first day of diving to this day.
“I think Mitchell was very excited on his first day of diving,” Carrie Caldwell said. “He needed some sort of outlet to flip, so he was ready to go.”
Mitchell Caldwell has been diving ever since with the American Flyers Diving League, the only difference is now he competes for the high school team and American Flyers.
Fellow diver and teammate Sal Miller said Mitchell Caldwell’s biggest contribution is scoring points for the team.
“He’s a great diver, and I think he’s really going to show this season what he can do,” Miller said.
Although Mitchell Caldwell enjoys diving for Solon, he said he looks forward to college practices and bonding with the team.
“[I’m looking forward to] diving every day and learning how to get much stronger and improve my diving,” Mitchell Caldwell said. “Also being with a team that I can be with every day and for traveling”
When it comes to working as a team, Miller said Mitchell Caldwell and him work very well together.
“He’s so energetic all the time, he’s always wearing funny suits and just cracking jokes,” Miller said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him mad–he’s just overall a good guy.”
Carrie Caldwell agrees that a trait Mitchell Caldwell is known for is his humor.
“Mitchell is extremely funny and always tries to make people laugh and is usually in a good mood,” Carrie Caldwell said.
Besides his personality, there are still more ways Mitchell Caldwell works to be a good teammate being mindful when on the board.
“What goes through my mind when I step on the board is just really taking deep breaths to make sure I know what dives I’m doing and how to perform the dive at hand,” Mitchell Caldwell said. “[I] try not to think about what my past dives were and what other people have done before me or after me.”
Mitchell Caldwell said he gets his inspiration from his dad.
“[My biggest inspiration is] my dad because he’s a really hard worker, and he provides for my family, and I want to have the same work ethic as him.”
Soon enough Mitchell Caldwell will be off to college bringing his humor, teamwork and sportsmanship to whichever university he decides to attend.
Although he’ll be leaving her soon, Carrie Caldwell is excited to see Mitchell Caldwell pursue his eleven-year-old self’s dreams.
“I think he will be ready to go and expand his horizons, and figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life,” Carrie Caldwell said. “Hopefully while enjoying high-level diving and continuing to do what he loves.”
