Bigger bodied 14-year-old diver plunges off diving board making headlines when he starts to flip

Our society has constantly pressured us to fit in a mold. It seems like there is a universal mindset on what someone should look like and should be – like how we were illusioned to have a specific standard of beauty or ideal occupation based on gender.

Little by little, people stepped up to break the norm. While some people still force their age-old stereotypes on us, we see heroes in those who say no to them; Women who are engineers, astronauts, and race car drivers. Models of different races, ethnicity, shape, and size.

This teenager went viral because he showed people he could beat those stereotypes. Zeke Sanchez is determined and passionate – something he needed from his chosen sport.

SOURCE:YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT – ABC 15 ARIZONA

If you don’t fit the mold, might as well break it! That’s what Zeke Sanchez did to most people’s expectations for those who participate in his sport – diving.

What is our image of a diver? Someone toned with all the abs and muscles, perhaps? The “Baywatch body,” as they call it. But Zeke doesn’t have that body and proved to people that that’s not the only image of a diver. He is living proof of that.

Zeke posted a video of his dive attempt on his Instagram page way back in 2018, and it garnered more than 180,000 views. This was picked up by a sports page before, but Zeke wasn’t tagged. He thought it’d be cool to get noticed again, so he worked on it.

This year SportsCenter, Barstool Sports, and ESPN took notice of his diving skills, and people started talking abuzz about this boy who could dive! SportsCenter reposted one of his videos, which has been viewed more than 3 million times!

If there was a champion for body positivity, it’s Zeke. He proved to the world that he could participate in sports, especially diving, where people would expect such toned and muscular bodies.

“They’ve never really seen a kid like my size able to do something like that before. But I think that if you really want to try and do something, if you put your mind to it, that you could do it,” he told ABC 15 Arizona on why people connected with his video so much.

Even his coach praised him not because he broke the stigma of body standards in his sport but because he had something every sporting coach would look for.

SOURCE:YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT – ABC 15 ARIZONA

“He’s not out here trying to do flips. He’s out here listening to his corrections and making sure he has the right form, and he’s, you know, listening to the stuff that I give him,” East Valley Dive Club Head Coach Lauren Thiel said about Zeke.

She added that in their sport, what’s important is the dedication and attention to details – something Zeke has constantly improved. His talent and dedication inspired many, including his coach, teammates, and kids his size and age who might feel like they have no place in sports.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Related Posts

The True Meaning Behind Purple Porch Lights

Why Are Porch Lights Turning Purple? If you’ve seen a purple porch light glowing at night, it’s more than a decoration—it’s a powerful message of support for…

My Mom Took Advantage of My Kindness, but I Made Her Pay

When Family Betrays: Two Stories of Pain and Loyalty Family bonds are meant to offer love and support—but sometimes, they can bring deep hurt, especially when trust…

Manager Judged Me for My Clothes—Then Karma Hit Fast

At 62, I stepped into a fancy restaurant to escape the heat, wearing old sandals and a cotton dress. A young manager mocked my clothes and tried…

Why Some Window Grills Have a Curve at the Bottom – The Meaning Behind It

Have you ever walked past a home and noticed window bars that bulge outward slightly, like a gentle curve or a “potbelly” pressing away from the glass?…

Flawless at First Glance—Then Came the Shock

At first glance, this bathroom seems completely ordinary. It has everything you’d expect a sink, a bathtub, neatly hung towels, a mirror, and all the usual fixtures….

I Raised My Nephew for 15 Years — Then He Chose a Car Over Me

When my sister Kayla dropped her baby at my door, I gave up everything to raise him. Two weeks became fifteen years of scraped knees, bedtime stories,…