In the state of Texas, UIL Swimming and Diving has long been ruled by Southlake Carroll teams. When signing day rolls around, the aquatic athletes inevitably commit to some of the best college programs in the nation.
For the Carroll girls diving team, you could say this year is no different, but it is... It’s even better. Junior Bridget O’Neil and sophomore Hailey Hernandez are headed to state soon, and the only question remaining is who will take first and who will be runner up.
“This year, it will be interesting because this will be their second year that they've competed together at the high school state meet, and literally I could not tell you who is going to win,” head diving coach Carolyn Hryorchuk says.
Coach Hryorchuk is no stranger to talented divers. But two, this close in competition on the same team at the same time, that’s something she’s never seen before.
“With Hailey and Bridget, it will be whoever points a toe or does not point a toe,” she says.
Upon overhearing that, Hailey’s mom Teresa Hernandez, exclaims with a laugh, “Well then point those toes, ladies!”
Early Beginnings
Both divers hold 6A state titles. Bridget won hers in 2017, and then Hailey hit the high school ranks and earned first at state as a freshman last year. Bridget remained on the podium as runner up. With their incredible amount of success, it should come as no surprise that they’ve been at it for a while.
Bridget started diving around the age of five while living in Pasadena, California. At the time, her older sister Lindsey was swimming and taking diving lessons. Bridget thought diving looked more fun and decided to pursue that.
By third grade, she was homeschooling and training from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Through a few family moves, she was diving the whole time.
"We made a pitstop in Indiana, we lived there for five years,” Bridget’s mom Jennifer O’Neil explains. “And then we wanted to move to Texas. When we came to Texas, we had to pick some place that had good diving."
In that regard, Southlake was an easy choice. With a top club in the area – GC Divers is currently the No. 2 ranked dive club team in the nation – and a great school system, the O’Neil family didn’t need to look further.
Bridget is now happily diving for Carroll and GC Divers, two top programs that have a somewhat unusual relationship.
“I think what makes us unique at the high school and club diving level is that we get along,” Coach Hryorchuk says. “I really feel that we put the kids first. The coaches aren't putting themselves first. They want what is best for the kids. There are so many clubs and high school programs that fight against each other. With us, we all get along.”
Like Bridget, Hailey got her inspiration to dive from an older sibling. Her brother Nathaniel is now diving at Duke and claimed three state titles during his time at Carroll. Hailey started diving with GC Divers at seven years old.
At a young age, Hailey was involved in a plethora of other sports – from soccer to basketball to softball.
“There were times that we would go to dive practice from 4-6, and then soccer practice from 6:30-8 and other days we would go to softball practice,” Teresa laughs. “And then we'd have soccer and softball on the weekends."
In order for her to reach her full potential in any of them, Hailey knew she needed to choose one to focus on. In the end, diving won out.
"It's unique, not many people do it,” she explains. “I just liked watching my brother and following in his footsteps." With a state title already under her belt, she seems to be doing just that.
Friends, Competitors
For as closely competitive as they are, it’s almost comical how different they are. Bridget, at 5’9”, towers over 5’1” Hailey.
“Bridget is more of a flipper. She is very tall. She has a beautiful long line,” Coach Hryorchuk says. “Then Hailey is more compacted and her twists are very very quick. When you sit there and watch them, it's a whole different look.”
While they are certainly not neck and neck in a literal sense, they are in the pool. This could complicate things, but they don’t let it. Through every meet and practice, regardless of the outcome, the duo remains friends.
“Hailey and Bridget respect each other, they love each other, they cheer for each other,” Coach Hryrochuk says. “They don't do the backbiting, neither do the parents. It makes it an amazing and positive situation for both of those girls.”
They both have the same short-term goal: win state. With the help of GC Divers Coach Jefferson Bro and Carroll Coach Hryorchuk, that goal seems easily attainable. Day in and day out, they both work toward their mutual goal in broad view of their toughest opponent.
"It isn't as hard as you would think,” Bridget says. “We're still on the same team, high school and club. I spend more than half my day with Hailey, and I love her to death and she's the sweetest girl. We've been across the world together.”
Hailey echoes the sentiment and points out a perk of their unique situation.
"In competition, we're separate but still supportive of each other,” she says. “It's a good atmosphere to practice together, and we're still friends. At practice, we get to watch and push each other and be like, 'Let's see if I can do that too.’”
Diving Around The World
While their successes in state competitions are certainly impressive, they pale in comparison to the medals both divers have earned at a national and international level. Most recently, Bridget represented Team USA at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she came home with bronze.
"It was just so unbelievable and awesome,” Bridget says of her experience. “It was the first competition that I was [a member of] Team USA, not just USA Diving. It put it in a more athletic standpoint. Everyone I met had the same mindset, even though they didn't know anything about diving and I know nothing about basketball, for example."
Hailey is also a frequent flyer, making trips to China and Ukraine in 2018 alone. At the World Cup in Wuhan, China, she placed ninth in the 3-meter. Bridget and Hailey were both at the 2018 Junior World Championships in Kiev, Ukraine. There, Hailey earned a silver medal in the 1-meter and Bridget placed fifth in the girls synchronized 3-meter. In 2017, Hailey brought a gold medal and a silver medal (in 1-meter and 3-meter, respectively) back from the Junior Pan American Championships in Canada.
"Every meet is a little different,” Hailey says. “I'll set goals to get my top score for that meet or I want to make sure that I perfect a specific dive, versus always making it my goal to get first place.”
What's Next
When asked what their goals are, both divers break it down into shorter terms. It takes a bit of prodding, but when looking at long term goals, Bridget and Hailey slowly get around to mentioning the Olympic Games.
“I am qualified for Olympic trials, so I just want to try to place and maybe have a chance at going to Tokyo,” Hailey says.
The lofty goal is becoming more real for Bridget as well.
"My ultimate goal...I hesitate to say 'go to the Olympics,' because I'm not the person who thought that when I was little,” she admits. “I've always had smaller goals. But now that it's getting closer, it's definitely more realistic.”
The crazy thing is, both of them still have more than a full year of high school left. Bridget, a junior, has already verbally committed to diving for the University of Texas at Austin. Hailey is less than halfway through her high school career.
Diving aside, their futures still look bright as both somehow maintain straight A’s on top of training around 25 hours per week.
“These girls are phenomenal, they're beautiful on the outside and inside,” Coach Hryorchuk says. “They're honestly good kids. They love helping other people and they cheer for each other.”