Profile: Pioneer’s Cole Tremewan excited about diving into his next challenge

Cole Tremewan conquered high school. Next up – college.

Only one diver wins his or her final dive in a season. Meet Cole Tremewan, the Pioneer senior who not only won the Division 1 MHSAA State Finals Diving competition but won it by leaps and bounds.

During the finals on March 27 at Hudsonville High School, Tremewan led by around 17 points after the semifinals and saved his best for last. He landed with 449.05 points to take first, comfortably ahead of Anchor Bay’s Adam Schmehl, who took second with 410.95.

He also helped Pioneer win its 16^th State Championship in dominating fashion. Pioneer scored 369 points, well ahead of runner-up Holland West Ottawa (233.5).

It was a splashingly awesome way to cap off your high school career.

“Winning states was definitely a great feeling,” said Tremewan. “Having not completed last year, but being ranked first, definitely gave me something to shoot for this year. Also, with being ranked first it added a little bit of pressure of feeling that I had to do it for the team.

“I am incredibly proud of all the swimmers and all their hard work, but unfortunately, I was not able to see them compete because of the Covid restrictions. I also am incredibly proud of Steph (head coach Stefanie Kerska) for not only having the men’s team win states but also the women’s team.”

Tremewan reached the State Finals the first two years of his high school career. He placed fifth as a freshman and was second as a sophomore. Last year, he was the top seed before Covid shut down the tournament.

This year’s team was special for more reasons than the results.

“The personality of the team was very supportive and it was so much fun being a part of it,” he said.

Tremewan has been a part of diving since he first jumped in the pool at the Georgetown Country Club when he was around 6 years old. “I immediately took more of an interest in diving,” he said.

He spent the last seven years diving for Legacy and learned a lot working out and competing for his club team. “It has always been a mix of hard work and fun,” he says.

Divers can be like goalies in soccer or kickers in football – they are very much part of the team, but often work out on their own and even in different areas from the rest of the team. It can be a challenging part of the sport and one that really requires some self-discipline and self-motivation.

“As diving is a very individual sport you always have you your friends, family and team cheering you on,” he says. “My main motivation would be to watch myself improve and get better. Every time you do a new dive there is so much triumph that comes with completing that dive. So the motivation definitely comes from within.”

Tremewan, the son of Christy Summers and Doug Tremewan, is now taking the biggest dive of his young life – from high school to the Division 1 college platform. He will attend the University of Illinois in the fall.

“Firstly, I chose Illinois because I really bonded with the coach,” he says. “I also really liked the team and one of the biggest aspects to the team was that they are almost like a family and I really appreciated that.”

Tremewan plans on studying business. Right now, his business is focused on his next challenge. “I am doing two-a-day practices this summer now that we have more time to get ready for college,” he said.