Lassiter High School Diver Carter Loftin Voted ITG Next Georgia Male Athlete of the Month for February 2023
Congratulations to standout diver Carter Loftin, a Lassiter senior who was selected by our readers as the February 2023 ITG Next Georgia Male Athlete of the Month, presented by Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance. Carter received the most votes among our four nominees who were chosen for their outstanding performances over the last few weeks.
Loftin has just wrapped up a successful diving career at Lassiter High as a member of the Trojans boys dive team. Carter won the GHSA Class 6A state diving championship, which was held recently at the Westminster Schools. It was his second straight state title; he won last year’s state championship in the 1M platform diving competition.
Lassiter swim and dive coach Brittany Hughes is in her 10th season as the Trojans’ swim and dive coach, but she said she has only had the chance to coach Carter for a relatively brief period of time.
“Carter moved here to the States from the Netherlands and has only been here at Lassiter since the 10th grade,” Hughes said.
Despite his short stay at Lassiter, Loftin has made quite an impact on the school’s record books, according to his coach.
“Carter holds all of our state dive records,” Hughes said.
According to the website www.teamunify.com, Carter is indeed the Lassiter school record holder in three separate diving categories.
Hughes said Carter has displayed all of the attributes you would expect to see from a two-time state champion.
“From the very beginning when he began competing here as a sophomore, you could see the determination and discipline that we expect to see from more experienced divers,” Hughes said. “I noticed his focus and competitiveness from the start. He’s amazing.”
That first year, Carter began working toward a championship. He was a finalist in the 2021 GHSA State Diving Championships, finishing in second place in the 1M competition. He also placed second in the county championships that same year.
With his Lassiter High diving career complete, Carter Loftin will now take his talents to the collegiate level at the University of North Carolina, where he has committed to compete following graduation.
In a sport that rewards outstanding individual performances, Hughes said Carter leads by example for his fellow dive mates.
“Carter is a team captain and is well respected among his peers,” Hughes said. “He has raised the bar here at Lassiter.”
