Southgate Anderson is going to need a big eraser for its swimming and diving record board in its shiny and splashy new pool.

Ella Manor, the Titans’ talented diver, set Southgate Anderson’s six-dive record last year as a sophomore with a score of 202.35. In late September, at a meet against Woodhaven, Manor improved her school record with a six-dive score of 205.10 points. It’s fair to say that the new record is going to be erased in the near future – again and again until Manor graduates.

“I didn't consider breaking the record as a possibility at Woodhaven until just before my last dive,” she said. “My main goal this year is the 11 dive record, though I will continue to try to increase the six dive one.”

Ella, 16, is the daughter of Mike and Shelly Manor and has a 3.97 GPA. She is a member of National Honor Society, German Club and Interact Club.

She first jumped in the pool to compete in the sixth grade.

“After discovering I had the option to dive I was eager to try,” she said. “Though I didn't drop swimming completely in middle school, I didn't enjoy it as I do today. Since I had a limited background in gymnastics I got the basics of diving fairly quickly. One thing I struggled with, and still do, is going straight up off the board during takeoffs.”

Manor has been taking off quite well lately and the hard work is starting to pay off. Last year, she broke the six-dive school record of 139.55 set in 2006 and also swims the butterfly, individual medley and some freestyle events for the Titans.

Jessica Kennedy, the assistant swim coach and diving coach at Anderson, can’t stop talking about her talented diver.

“I’ve coached for about 12 years at the high school and Ella is one of the hardest working kids I’ve ever worked with,” Kennedy said. “She is by far the most dedicated athlete I’ve ever coached. She puts in the time and work both in practice and outside of practice. She is always looking to get better. She is always looking for dive camps to go to and asks great questions.”

Kennedy said diving is not only very physical but also requires a mental focus.

“Yeah, and she has that,” Kennedy said.

Manor said she is a “task/goal-driven person” and that translates to everything she does, including school and hobbies.

“What motivates me is when I start to see progress and that my work is starting to pay off,” she said. “That just makes me work even harder.”

Manor is glad to be a member of the Southgate swimming and diving team and is looking forward to the rest of her junior year and senior year. She practices diving year round and often attends practices at Wyandotte and during the summer at Wayne State.

“I would like to go to college and get a degree in architecture,” she said. “I'm hopeful that I can get a partial scholarship in diving.”

First, she has a few more records – including her own – to break before she’s done at Southgate.

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