FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (July 28, 2020) – Between four Western Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week recognitions to getting her first NCAA bid,
Jenny Cheetham was a pillar for the Lumberjacks in their four dual meet season wins and earning their seventh straight WAC Championship.
Q: Where are you right now and what does a normal day look like for you?
A: I am in Phoenix right now with my family! I am currently taking an online class right now so a normal day to me is waking up at 6:30 and doing class until 12:30 and then I either head to dive practice or Physical Therapy afterwards. This summer has been long but honestly taking a summer class has made it way better because I enjoy being busy and having a good reason to wake up early!
Q: What are you most looking forward to when you get back competing in the pool?
A: I am most excited to be around my teammates and my coach Nikki. We tend to have a lot of fun at some practices messing around trying to see what our bodies are capable of and it always gives me a good laugh being around these people.
Q: What is motivating or encouraging you to push through these difficult times?
A: I feel like this time has actually been more beneficial to me and a lot of my teammates. During this time, I have gotten to spend time with my sisters who don't live in Arizona and I have been able to really focus on getting stronger and healthier for the next season! Sometimes it is nice to slow everything down and focus on yourself especially when you have no other choice.
Q: How did you first get into your sport?
A: I joined diving because I used to be a gymnast and I decided that I wanted to compete in a high school sport and diving was the closest thing to gymnastics! I ended up loving it and making tons of friends through this sport, so I stuck with it and now I'm a college athlete! I never really planned on doing this, but I'm so happy I did.
Q: If you could be a dual-sport athlete at NAU, what sport would you compete in and why?
A: I have honestly always wanted to play volleyball. I used to play volleyball when I was younger, and the energy and the teamwork of the sport is so entertaining!
Q: If you could pick any other NAU student-athlete to try out your sport, who would it be and why?
A: I would honestly love to see any football player try some of the tricks we do on the boards. I've seen them jump off the platforms just for fun sometimes and I think it would be interesting to see them doing flips and twists. It could be very funny!
Q: What is your best diving memory ever?
A: I think my favorite memory of our team has to be last year at our conference championship. We were faced with a problem where a main water pipeline broke in the city we were in and the water was shut off in the area, so we ended up having to compress our entire competition into a shorter period of time. Normally, we would be devastated, and we were, but then we decided to "roll with the punches" instead and we made the best out of it. We walked into the pool the next day dressed in 80's style outfits with face masks on (weirdly foreshadowing what's going on right now I guess) saying "prepared for anything" and it was hilarious. Everyone was staring at us and we were just having the best time. I think that really represented how strong our team is and how we can make the most out of any situation handed to us which is what we plan to do with this season as well!
Q: What is your major and what are your career aspirations?
A: My major is Exercise Science with a minor in Nutrition. I plan on applying to PT schools soon and hopefully becoming a physical therapist. Exercise and nutrition has always been a huge part of my life and I hope that I can find a way to continue pursuing my passion for these two in the future!
