Keller Shinholster/submitted Brothers TJ (left) and Colby Shinholser are two of the top divers in Montgomery County's public schools. Colby is a senior at Springbrook and TJ a junior at Paint Branch.

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Diving, former Paint Branch High School diver Logan Shinholser said, is a mental sport.

While it is fear-based, divers must maintain their composure as they jump from diving boards as much as 10 meters above the water, into twists and turns and into the water.

Shinholser, the 2009 Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Swimming and Diving champion, said he always found comfort in talking through any issues with his father Steven, who was a record-setting diver at the University of Maryland in the late 1970s.

A University of Virginia Tech junior who already has qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Dive Trials this June in four events, Shinholser has relished in the opportunity to become that type of mentor for younger brothers Colby and TJ.

Colby, a senior at Springbrook, finished fifth at the 2010 Metros and eighth last winter. TJ, a junior at Paint Branch, finished 11th as a freshman in 2010 and seventh last year.

Both are top contenders for state and Metros titles this winter.

“Part of the reason I got better at diving is because I wanted to be better than my dad,” Logan said. “I think that Colby and TJ want to be better than me. We’re a pretty competitive family. But however competitive we are, we’re more supportive of each other. I like being there for them, I know a lot of the stuff they’re going through.”

Top high school athletes typically hone their skills from an early age.

But the Shinholsers took a different path, having been competitive gymnasts when they were younger.

Logan was a Level 10 gymnast, just under the elite Olympic level, before he switched sports as a high school freshman.

Colby, who has attracted interest from NCAA Division I programs, including the University of Virginia and Georgia Tech, reached Level 7 and TJ was a Level 10 trampolinist; he won several gold medals competing alongside older sister Amanda, who recently graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she participated in diving for four years.

“Having everyone in my family diving, that’s the main reason why I ended up doing it,” Colby said. “I probably wouldn’t be doing it without them. It’s something for us all to talk about. If I come home and talk about practice or something [diving related], everyone understands.”

Though the three brothers’ style of diving differs — Colby is stronger and thrives off power while TJ and Logan have more finesse — they all went through the same adjustment period at the start of their diving careers.

Though many of their gymnastics skills, like flexibility and their ability to twist and flip, were transferrable, they also had to start with the basics of diving; learning the proper way to hurdle into the dive was crucial, they said.

The process of finding a balance between their extensive gymnastics skills and beginner diving level was frustrating at first, they said.

Colby and TJ said Logan has been paramount in getting them over that hurdle.

“Learning to spot (using visual cues) was important. I never knew where I was [in the air] and that was the worst thing for me,” TJ said. “I talked to Logan and he said to just feel it, but I was scared. He basically told me to ‘man up’ and now I’m a lot less fearful when my coaches want me to try new dives.”

While TJ and Colby said it can be tough to compete against one another, sibling rivalry also is a huge motivating factor.

Both are amazed by how fast their older brother ascended to the upper echelon of diving, but said Logan’s career path has helped them set their own career goals; both hope to compete in the 2016 Olympic Trials.

After a rocky start at the 2012 USA Diving Winter National Championships last month in Tennessee, TJ scratched — withdrew his name — from the remaining rounds and walked several blocks back to his hotel room.

Logan wasn’t having any of it. And it didn’t take the elder brother very long to convince his brother to re-enter the competition.

TJ finished 48th of 65 competitors in the 3-meter competition. Colby finished 32 of 52 in the 1-meter.

“Logan really helps us, he’s been through all the same stuff,” TJ said. “We look at him and see what we might be able to do if we keep our heads on straight.”

jbeekman@gazette.net