Join the Southlake community in celebrating Southlake diver Hailey Hernandez before the 2020 Summer Olympics from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 9 in Southlake Town Square (in front of Town Hall) with a send-off parade and festivities including face painting, ice cream trucks, and other family activities.

The community will also honor other Dragon athletes who competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials: Riley Francis, Nate Hernandez, Bridget O’ Neil, and Kit Kat Zenick. Be sure to wear your commemorative T-shirt if you purchased one, or red, white, and blue, and come to Town Square to celebrate this momentous occasion!

“It is so incredible,” Mayor John Huffman said during a recent City Council meeting. “We are all so proud of Hailey, her family, and coaches. And it couldn’t have happened to a better person and a better family.” “We will all be rooting for you mightily in the Olympics…No matter what happens in Tokyo we want to celebrate you and send you off in style because you have already won. You’ve already achieved at such a high level. You will know from now until it is all finished out that your city is behind you and is incredibly proud of you.”

Hailey said she is so glad that she has such an amazing city behind her supporting her. “I just can’t wait to represent our town, our school district, and just everything that has to do with us,” she said.

A 2021 Southlake Carroll graduate, Hailey, is one of two Americans representing Team USA in the 3-meter springboard. In June, she qualified for Tokyo at the Olympic trials in Indiana.
Hailey won four straight UIL 6A State Championships for the Dragons. In 2018, she was a World Cup team member, All American girls diving champion, and a Tomlinson honoree.
Also, Hailey is a two-time World Junior Championships silver medalist; and in 2019, Junior Pan American Championships: gold, synchronized 3-meter; silver, 1-meter, and 3-meter.
In 2017, she earned a gold medal on 1-meter and a silver medal on the platform at the Junior Pan American Championships. Hailey is also a two-time senior national champion on 3-meter. She is a 10-time junior national champion; four times on 3-meter; three times on platform; two times on 1-meter; and one time on synchronized 3-meter.

Hailey is the daughter of Richard and Teresa Hernandez. She has two brothers, Nathaniel (also a diver) also being honored during the event; and Zachary. She plans to attend the University of Texas in the fall.