Stephen Smith is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Thunderbird  High School for AZPreps365.com

For Thunderbird High School student Elizabeth Lillie, it was the worst news possible: her shoulder injury would require extensive surgery, and her gymnastics career of 13 years was over.

“I blew out my whole shoulder and had to get 10 metal anchors put in it,” Elizabeth said. “I had been doing gymnastics since I was 3 years old, so when I heard the news that I had to stop, a part of my world was completely crushed.”

This injury, which occurred in May 2023 while learning a new move at practice, halted Lillie’s plans for collegiate gymnastics, a new reality she initially struggled with.

“She had planned to compete in gymnastics in college, a lifelong goal of hers,” said Melissa Lillie, Elizabeth’s mother. “She went through moments after being told she had to stop that were a little rough.”

With gymnastics now out of the picture, Lillie entered her junior year at Thunderbird needing a new competitive outlet. After some reflection, she felt that diving would afford her the best opportunity to return to sports while utilizing aspects of what made gymnastics enjoyable. 

“I turned to diving because it involves the same flipping as gymnastics, and diving is much easier on the body,” Elizabeth said. “I still wanted to keep flipping like I did in gymnastics, so diving was the best sport I could find.”

Though there is some overlap between the sports, the transition was challenging for Lillie.

“I had never dove before, so the hardest part for me was going into the water headfirst, as opposed to landing feetfirst like I did in gymnastics,” Elizabeth said.

To combat this physical and mental hurdle, dive coach Alicia Landry focused on refining her technical skills and strengthening her confidence. 

“We spent a lot of time on deck work, breaking down the mechanics and isolating skills specifically aimed at mastering headfirst entries,” Landry said. “By focusing on the fundamentals, we built her confidence.”

Despite these early challenges, Lillie quickly and remarkably found her footing in this new sport. Landry was integral to her quick development, an importance not lost on the Lillie family.

“Coach Landry is an angel on Earth,” Melissa said. “She poured everything she had into Elizabeth, and I can't speak highly enough of her.”

“She is the reason I am what I am today,” Elizabeth said. “She was my biggest supporter and the best coach I could have asked for. She was always there for me.”

By early November, Lillie broke a Thunderbird dive record that had stood since 1979, making history just three months into her new sport. She broke Sue Sgrillo’s long-standing school record of 386.75 in the 1-meter dive with a score of 392.25, a source of vast pride for all involved, Landry especially.

“Witnessing her achieve this feat was incredibly fulfilling,” Landry said. “I felt immense pride in her accomplishments and the journey that led to this moment.”

Fresh off a historic debut season, Lillie entered this season with high expectations and has already exceeded them. She broke her 1-meter dive record with a score of 407.70, an achievement that her mother believes is down to her drive and mental fortitude. 

“She has always been very determined. Whatever she puts her mind to, she accomplishes,” Melissa said. “She will never settle and will always keep working to achieve her dreams.”

Currently ranked No. 4 nationally in the 3-meter dive and No. 14 nationally in the 1-meter dive, Lillie hopes to top her 1-meter dive record again later this season and place at State.

Over the past two dive seasons, Lillie has learned much about herself and believes she can provide valuable insight to fellow young athletes forced to step away from a sport they love.

“My biggest piece of advice would be to not let anything get to you,” Elizabeth said. “Something unexpected happening does not mean you have to quit everything about a sport that you love. You can bring aspects of that old sport into a new sport and find a new passion.”

Her accomplishments and resiliency have left an impact on both her teammates and coaches, one that will resonate well beyond her time at Thunderbird.

“Elizabeth’s journey is incredibly inspiring for her teammates, especially the underclassmen,” Landry said. “She has taught me the value of adaptability, both in coaching and in life. Her ability to pivot sports while maintaining such a strong work ethic has reminded me that, even when faced with unexpected challenges, there is always a way to keep moving forward with the right mindset.”

Following high school, Elizabeth will be diving for Northern Arizona University, a Division I program that competes in the Western Athletic Conference. This achievement will fulfill her lifelong dream of competing at the Division 1 level, a goal she never lost sight of, even in challenging and unexpected circumstances.

“She never gave up on her goal, even when the gymnastics route was made impossible,” Melissa said. “I am so excited to see what this next chapter holds for her and for her to continue to grow, both as an athlete and as a person.”