Victories can't always be measured in medals.

Sometimes improvement is enough.On Friday, five Tamaqua divers weren't among the elite at this year's Schuylkill League Championships. But considering the youth and inexperience that make up Blue Raider diving coach Mariann Shilko's squad, it looks as if this year's group have set the tone for future success.Freshman Emma Rago was the lone Raider to garner a medal. However, Shilko stressed that something else weighed far more importance to her than a shiny gold, silver or bronze accolades."All of my divers are in their first year competing," Shilko said. "It has been two years since we had diving here at Tamaqua."So, for what they have accomplished so far, I am very proud of how far they have come this season. They have nothing at all to be ashamed of."After an absense of a couple of years, the Tamaqua Area Booster Club and the Class of 2013 helped return the diving program by purchasing a new board for the school's pool.Yesterday, Blue Mountain's Lyle Luckenbill (gold), Pottsville's Patrick McDonald (silver) and Kyle Brennan (bronze) made it a challenge for the Blue Raider boys. Tamaqua's trio of Anthony Rago, Dalton Adams and Ed Hossler finished sixth, seventh and eighth respectively in the eight-person field.On the other hand, last year's girls' defending champion, Pottsville's Gabrielle Hammer, stole the show once again making it back-to-back titles. Blue Mountain's Emma Barrett followed with a second place finish.The Blue Raiders' Emma Rago had no problem sporting a smile wearing a bronze medal around her neck."It was kinda of nerve-racking being up there on the board because everyone's looking at you," Rago said. "And, then it's really quiet. But, you just have to focus and push yourself to do the best you can. So, I did."It was an impressive accomplishment for someone who joined the Tamaqua squad two weeks before the start of the season. Thus, leaving little room for error and making it all about focusing on progression."She was a late comer," Shilko said. "I think it was right before our first meet she joined us. So, she only had two weeks to learn six dives in order to be able to compete."I just can't even explain how happy I am for her. She's only a freshman. I'm so proud of her."