COLUMBUS, Ind. — A central Indiana man is making a splash on the international stage and in his own backyard.
Jim Everroad, of Columbus, Indiana, admits he's more limited these days.
"I'm not supposed to do anything by my cardiologist's orders," Everroad said.
He's just shy of 80.
"I'm in my 79th year, which means I'm still a kid," he said.
He's definitely a kid at heart.
"I'd like to be able to dive the way I used to, but this isn't bad. To be this age still going up there feels pretty good, and I don't have hardly any competition," Everroad said.
Diving has been his life. He said it has always felt natural.
"I started when I was 6 years old. I started with a jackknife on a two-by-four into Wolf Creek," Everroad said. "Just love it. It's the acrobatics. I was always an acrobatic kid even before I heard of diving."
Everroad has won six international awards and has the medals to prove it.
What's possibly even more remarkable is in his heyday, he was self-taught.
"Nobody knew anything about the sport. So, if you got anything that worked, this guy's your coach. You stayed with him," Everroad said.
As an IU grad of 1966, some of his diving buddies have passed, including former IU coaching legend Hobie Billingsley.
While Everroad knows his days are numbered, he hopes he's not done yet.
"If it's something that scares you, face your fear. Attack it head-on. Don't back off from it. If you're scared, do it anyhow," said Everroad, a resident at Parkside Court, a Holiday by Atria senior living community.
He has his sights on a competition in Japan. He's still nursing some injuries, but he's hoping his doctor will give him the "all clear" to get back on the diving platform.