By Kyle Petitt
The smallest team at BYU prepares to make the biggest splash tonight as it finishes its home season.
Specifically, two seniors who started diving together as children, finish up as titans in the pool.
With more than 10 years of diving together, Brandon Watson and Travis Day have known this day would come, but now that it’s here, their emotions are all over the spectrum.
“It’s crazy,” Day said. “It still hasn’t hit me, and I’m sure it won’t until I don’t have tom wake up for practice anymore. But for now it’s ... it’s weird to think about.”
Watson and Day started diving together when they were 12 years old — back when they just loved the thought of flying off of the boards into the water. They both knew little about the sport but soon found they had raw talent and continued to pursue the thrill together.
“We haven’t exactly done everything the same,” Watson recalls. “But he’s always been there. He’s always been a great support to me and a good friend. He’s been my best
friend.”
Both Watson and Day have been described as artists on the board, but it still took a dedicated coach helped to channel their talent. Diving coach Keith Russell says that they have contributed more than just their talent on the boards.
“If you know them at all, they are fantastic people just to start with,” Russell said. “You don’t even have to do anything else and you’re way ahead of most every place else or anything else.”
This year, Watson wears the captain’s band. But Day had the opportunity his junior year to share the captaincy with fellow senior Syrena Miskin.
Watson, Day, and Miskin are leaving a legacy here at BYU, but they look to the future with high expectations as they continue forward. Day plans on giving back and
continuing to coach diving over the summers. Watson will compete this summer in the Olympic trials and hopes to represent the United States in London.