Two time state qualifier and Geometry dash prodigy, this unexpected combination is junior Hollan Cathcart.
Cathcart returned this year to the IHSAA Boys Swimming and Diving state finals, representing PMHS as a diver. Cathcart placed 17th in the state last weekend, narrowly missing qualifying for finals by one placement spot. “I’ve always wanted to dive ever since I was little. I started learning things related to diving even if I didn’t know at the time. I could do back flips on my trampoline and flips off the side of the pool by the age of four,” Cathcart said.
Cathcart officially joined the diving team in 6th grade, crediting his motivation and encouragement to pursue the sport to his coach Tori Klinefelter. “My coach has always been my biggest motivator. She always was able to help me push through times where I was doubting myself with new dives and even the sport,” he said.
Before Cathcart ever took to the board, he could be found behind a keyboard or a phone, appearing to be vigorously clicking to onlookers. Behind the screen, the game Geometry Dash engaged him. He was introduced to the game in 2015 by his cousins, and later evolved to playing the paid version, and ultimately a computer version in 2020.
Geometry dash, released in 2010, is a frequent of streamers, gamers and everyday mobile game players alike. “The paid version allowed me to play levels created by other players, which gave me a lot more to explore, which really strengthened my interest with the game,” he said.
For just under five dollars, Cathcart unlocked a realm of game play where he was able to push his talents. “I started to play my current hardest [level] Gaggatrondra. Gaggatrondra was the 38th hardest level in the game at the time of my completion, and it took me 2 full months and over 80 thousand attempts. The completion of it launched me to number 305 on the global leaderboard,” he said.
The game features levels of increasing difficulty, where the player dodges obstacles and moves through the level by clicking. Cathcart even streams Geometry Dash on various platforms, notably his TikTok, under the username @qixzrssgd, which has garnered over 2,000 followers for his gaming content.
There are layers to Cathcart. Outwardly, Cathcart’s strength is found near a pool, flipping through the air with finesse. But, his talent on an unexpected mobile game places him on a global scale of excellence beyond the IHSAA. In the halls of PMHS he is known as a diver, but online he is a gamer with skill.
“Diving has always been something I do for fun. I rarely take it seriously and I just show up to have fun and do what I love. While Geometry Dash started the same way, it’s also turned into something I like to stay competitive at. I’m always competing against others in order to get better […] While I am one of the best players out there already, I want to strive to be on top,” he said.
