Congratulations to the TOP NCAA Diving Coaches!

Now that the all six of the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships have ended, it is time to recognize the Top Diving Coaches in NCAA Division I, II and III. The following coaches have been named 2010 NCAA Diving Coach of the Year as presented by the College Swim Coaches Association of America:

Division I Women: JANE FIGUEIREDO (University of Houston)

Division I Men: ADAM SOLDATI (Purdue University)

Divison II Women: DAVE HROVAT (Clarion University)

Division II Men: DAVE HROVAT (Clarion University)

Division III Women: STAN RANDALL (Trinity University)

Divison III Men: JOHN MOORE (S.U.N.Y. Oswego)

Best Wishes to these and all diving coaches for a safe and successful 2010 and beyond! Keep up the GREAT work you are doing!

DIVING Does It Again!

Once again, the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship Team Title was greatly influenced by DIVING. This time, the Texas Longhorns Men's Team -- on the strength of the very fine showing of their divers -- was able to hold-off 2nd place team Univ. of California (500 points for UT versus 469.5 points for Cal -- a difference of 30.5 team points) in the final team standings at the 2010 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.

The Texas Diving duo of Drew Livingston and Matthew Cooper combined to score 54 team points with their 3rd, 9th, 16th, 3rd and 7th place finishes); 2nd Place team University of California scored ZERO team points in diving; 3rd place team Univ. of Arizona scored 13 team points in diving; 4th place Stanford University scored ZERO team points in diving and 5th place team Univ. of Florida scored ZERO team points in diving.

In mathematics, a person needs to be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide -- it is difficult to be successful in math (or life) by only being able to do three of these four disciplines. Similarly, well rounded swim teams need to have sprinters, distance swimmers, backstrokers, flyers, breaststrokers AND DIVERS. It is difficult to be the overall best team if your team is weak or lacking in one or more of these disciplines. And, since diving accounts for 3 of the 21 events (14%) that are contested at the NCAA Championships -- it behooves every program to make sure that their diving teams have all the resources necessary to recruit and then train the best divers available to be the very best they can -- it can only help the swimming and diving team as a whole.

(Just ask the Florida women)

Attention All Swim Coaches!

Are you one of those swim coaches who thinks diving is a waste of time? That diving is the "ugly red-headed step-sister" that cuts into your pool time; takes money from your budget; makes meets run slower and adds more paperwork to your already busy life?

Well better think again -- especially after seeing the results of the Women's Division I Swimming and Diving Championships. The University of Florida won the venerable team title by a scant 2.5 points over 2nd place Stanford and it would not have been possible had it not been for the very strong showing of the Florida divers. In fact, the University of Florida DIVING Team accounted for 40 of the 382 team points scored by the Gators. The other top 5 teams scored ZERO diving points in the meet. Without the points earned by the divers, the Florida Gators would have finished in 5th place as a team. See below:

NCAA Division I TOP 5 TEAM SCORES (WITH Diving Points)

University of Florida -- 382 Team Points (40 points from diving)
Stanford University -- 379.5 Team Points (0 points from diving)
Univ. of California -- 363.00 Team Points (0 points from diving)
Univ. of Arizona -- 359.5 Team Points (0 points from diving)
Univ. of Georgia -- 342.5 Team Points (0 points from diving)

NCAA Division I TOP 5 TEAM SCORES (WITHOUT Diving Points)

Stanford University -- 379.5 Team Points
Univ. of California -- 363 Team Points
Univ. of Arizona -- 359.5 Team Points
Univ. of Georgia -- 342.5 Team Points
University of Florida -- 342 Team Points

The moral to the story is to never underestimate the importance of having a diving team!

U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY DIVING WELL

The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD just completed a large renovation to their diving well that included re-habbing the platforms and building a new 3M Springboard pedestal and installing all new Duraflex Equipment.

Rumor has it that long-time diving coach Joe Suriano has a smile from ear to ear!! Looks like it was well worth the wait!! CONGRATULATIONS, JOE!!

WHAT TO DO WITH OLD DIVING T-SHIRTS

Have a "T-Shirt Quilt" made!!

This is the second quilt that I have had made using my old diving T-shirts as well as many collegiate diving T-shirts and Sweatshirts I have collected over the years. Most of these were gifts from college diving coaches around the country. (Click on the image above to make it larger)

My favorite T-shirt in this quilt, however, is the center one -- taken from the back of the old Moss Farms Diving Team T-shirts. It was given to me in 1994 by Robert "Moose" Moss and it has the emblem of the Flying Tigers in the center surrounded by the (reproduced) signatures of all (at the time) living former Flying Tigers. These legendary WWII Veterans were highly decorated for their daring and courageous exploits during the war with Japan in the Pacific. Their picture hangs in the Smithsonian Institute among many other places. Moose was granted permission by the Flying Tigers to use their emblem as the emblem for the Moss Farms Diving Team.

Moose Moss's signature is in the upper right hand corner of the T-shirt.

DIVING "INSURANCE"

When the words "diving" and "insurance" are used in the same sentence, people think "uh oh -- big expense; hard to get; difficult to afford; etc.) But, I am not talking about this type of insurance -- rather I am talking about having "Dive Insurance."

"Dive Insurance" is making sure that you have a back-up dive or dives that you can substitute into your list at the last minute should one of your regular dives (for whatever reason) not be usable. Divers of course should practice their "list" of dives -- but they should also practice their "insurance dives". This is applicable to all levels of diving. Here are a few examples:

SUMMER LEAGUE DIVING:

Little Johnny learns an inward dive (401C) and it is really good. You are going to replace his 5111A (front dive with 1/2 twist) because he sometimes does not complete the twist all the way or his form is not good when he does the dive. However, during warm-ups for the meet, little Johnny starts getting too close to the board on his inward and gets scared. Johnny, (his mom) and you do not want to use that dive today. The insurance dive is his "questionable" 5111A -- might not be pretty, but at least it is safe.

HIGH SCHOOL DIVING:

Your diver learns a 105C (front 2 1/2 somersaults in tuck position) but goes to a meet at another high school where the diving board is not as good as the board on which your diver trains and they are having difficulty making the 105C on the "bad board." In this instance -- your insurance dive would be a 104C (front double somersault in tuck position) or 103B (front 1 1/2 somersaults in pike position).

COLLEGE DIVING:

Your diver learns a 5235D on 3M (Back 1 1/2 with 2 1/2 twists) and this will replace their 5134D (front 1 1/2 somersaults with 2 twists). During warm-ups the day before the meet, your diver starts "getting lost" on his 5235D. If you had your diver continue to practice the 5134D even after they learned the 5235D -- you could simply substitute the 5134D back into the list and not miss a beat.

As with any insurance -- you hope you never need it, but you gotta have it!

You Just Never Know Who You Might Meet On A Pool Deck!

The above photo was taken recently at Texas A&M University where I was judging the diving at the NCAA Championships. Former President George H.W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush were in attendance for a short while to watch a couple of events and present a few awards.

As the former President and First Lady were leaving, I happened to be standing in the right place at the right time. A former diver of mine (now a professional sport photographer) just happened to be there as well with his camera and as they say, the rest is history.

Make sure you always have a camera with you when you go to a diving meet -- or at least know the professional photographer shooting the events -- you just never know who you might meet!

Photo courtesy of Walt Middleton (Walt Middleton Sports Photography)

If You Guessed John Narcy -- You Were Correct!

The person you see pictured above and below was born to Polish immigrants and raised in the ghettos of Gary, IN. John Navrotsy -- better known as JOHN NARCY, was the legendary diving coach at Michigan State University for 38 years. During that time, he coached Olympians, National and International Champions as well as many Big 10 Conference Champions.

"Narc" (pronounced "Narse") as he is called by most who know him, was a diver at the University of Michigan where he went to school on a FOOTBALL scholarship. The reason: His best friend in high school was a highly recruited football star and Michigan thought that this friend would follow John wherever he went to college so they gave Narc a football scholarship (to dive) and his friend indeed followed him there.

Narc was coached at Michigan by another diving legend -- Olympic Gold Medallist Bruce Harlan -- the first collegiate diving coach in America. After Harlan's tragic death while dismantling scaffolding following a diving show, Dick Kimball (another diving legend) became the Michigan Coach.

Narc -- an incredible story-teller (and joke-teller as well!!) still lives in East Lansing, MI with Pat, his wife of 49 years. He recently retired from teaching at Michigan State but can still be found on the pool deck judging at the Big 10 and NCAA Championships.

Legendary Diving Coach with the Three Stooges

Do you recognize the legendary (and very "buff") diving coach pictured with the Three Stooges with whom he used to perform diving shows in Flushing Meadows, New York circa 1960?

Check back later for the answer!

"IRON MIKE" Fund Update

It is hard to believe that Mike Lyden has been gone for nearly eight months. The highly regarded and very accomplished former diving coach at the University of Kentucky succumbed to Cancer in early April after a hard fought two-year battle. He was a HUGE LOSS not only to his family and friends -- but to the entire diving community as well.

A fund was established to collect donations in Mike's name for the benefit of his wife and three children. The response from the diving community has been nothing short of incredible. To date, more than $30,000.00 has been donated to the "Iron Mike" Fund.

His wife Emily and his three children Jessica, Jack and Brittany are so grateful for the outpouring of support and they want to say thanks to all who contributed or helped in some way during these difficult times. The Lyden Family will always be a part of the "diving family" and we continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers over the holiday season.

It is not too late to contribute -- you can still send your tax deductible donation (check made payable to "Wildcat Aquatics, Inc. / Iron Mike Fund") to:

IRON MIKE FUND
c/o Springboards and More
P.O. Box 268
Milford, OH 45150
USA

THANK YOU DIVING COMMUNITY FOR YOUR VERY GENEROUS SUPPORT!!

Diving Coach Research Project

Springboards and More is researching and compiling a listing of all the awards and honors that have been won by diving coaches over the past 100 years. We plan to upload all of this information to a website that will be available soon. The website will be a constantly growing database as we collect more and more information.

Not only are we compiling listings of the major diving coach award winners, but we are also looking to compile NCAA Coach of the Year Winners, US Diving Coaching honors, College Conference "Coach of the Year" winners, as well as High School and Geographic area diving coach award winners.

If you would like to assist in this project, please send a note to springboardsandmore@cinci.rr.com or if you have any awards or honors you would like to see added to our compilation, please send that information as well.

We appreciate your efforts towards this project and we hope that this new website will be a source of inspiration to future diving coaches and help to keep our sport moving forward!

Reflections on Coach Lyden

While attending the funeral for University of Kentucky Diving Coach MIKE LYDEN, I was impressed (but not surprised) by the large outpouring of support from his friends and neighbors, the UK Athletic Department and of course from the diving coaches around the country. However, I was most impressed at seeing many if not most of Mike's current and former divers.

I believe the true measure of success for a coach in any sport is the positive impact he or she has on their athletes long after they have competed for the last time. Mike was more than a great diving coach -- he was tough, driven and very demanding both inside and outside of the pool. He required his divers to do well academically and to be in top physical condition. He instilled in them discipline, attention to detail, a work ethic and most importantly, he taught them to be winners. This was quite evident as I looked around the room and saw table after table of physically fit, well-groomed, well-dressed productive members of society who have carried with them the lessons learned while diving for "Iron Mike."

Iron Mike Memorial Fund

As most of you know, MIKE LYDEN -- one of the finest diving coaches in the United States lost his battle with cancer on Friday April 11, 2008. A memorial fund has been set up by Wildcat Aquatics, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and 100% of all donations will directly benefit Mike's wife Emily and his three children Jessica, Jack and Brittany.

We have a chance to double our donations to honor the memory of our friend and colleague. A generous donor has offered to match funds up to $10,000.00 submitted by the diving community. In order to have your donation matched, please send your check made payable to "Wildcats Aquatics - Iron Mike Memorial" and send to Springboards and More. They will coordinate the gift with the matching donor.

Make checks payable to "Wildcats Aquatics - Iron Mike Memorial"

Mail to
"Iron Mike" Foundation
c/o Springboards and More
P.O. Box 268
Milford, OH 45150
USA

Thanks, "Iron Mike"!

MIKE LYDEN, one of the finest diving coaches in America lost his battle with cancer on Friday April 11, 2008.

• Thanks "Iron Mike."


• Thanks for being such an inspiration to so many.


• Thanks for being the great coach you were.


• Thanks for being the great competitor you were.


• Thanks for being the fighter you were.


• Thanks for being the friend you were to so many.


• Thanks for being the mentor you were to so many.


• Thanks for being the great husband you were.


• Thanks for being the great father you were.


• Thanks for the passion that you brought to the sport of diving.


• Thanks for your zest for life.


• Thanks for bringing out the best in all those with whom you came in contact.

You will be sorely missed but never forgotten. Rest in Peace.

Just A Half Point More!!

Ask yourself this question after your next diving meet: “What could I have done better on each dive to get just one half point more from the judges?”

In a typical 11-dive high school dive list (5 Voluntary Dives and 6 Optional Dives that includes 105C, 203C, 303C, 403C, 5132D and 5223D) your total score would INCREASE by nearly 30 POINTS if you took every score you received from each judge and added ½ point to it before re-calculating your score.

EXERCISE: Pull out your most recent diving sheet and re-calculate your final total after increasing every judges' award by one half point. (Example: If you received scores of 5.5 , 5.5, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0 on your first dive -- change those scores to 6.0, 6.0, 6.5, 6.5, 6.5 and recalculate the point total). Repeat this for all eleven dives and then see where you would have ended up in the final rankings had this been your score!

THIRTY POINTS – that is almost one whole dive!! That is like getting to do 12 dives in an 11-dive meet – on which end do you rather be?

PANZANO, LAAK NAMED NCAA DIVING COACHES OF THE YEAR

VINCE PANZANO (Ohio State University) and DAN LAAK (University of Georgia) were named NCAA Diving Coaches of the Year for 2008. Panzano was named Women's Diving Coach of the Year and Laak was named Men's Diving Coach of the Year.

Panzano had a spectacular Women's Championships that was highlighted by a 1-2 finish in the 3-meter contest. Laak was honored for the accomplishments of his diver Chris Colwill who finished 1st, 2nd and 2nd in the three diving events contested.

The award is determined by a vote of all diving coaches at the NCAA Championships.

TOP DIVING COACHES IN NCAA!

Congratulations to the following COACHES for their success at the Men's NCAA Division I Diving Championships. Randy ABLEMAN – Miami (Reuben Ross – 6th 1-meter, 1st 3-meter, 4th Platform, JJ Kinzbach - 8th Platform); Mark BRADSHAW - Arizona State (Mickey Benedetti – 7th 1-meter); Mike BROWN – Hawaii (Magnus Frick - 2nd 1-meter, 6th 3-meter); Pat GREENWELL - Alabama (Aaron Fleshner - 3rd 3-meter); Jeff HUBER – Indiana (Landon Marzullo – 4th 1-meter; Taylor Roberts - 4th 3-meter); Patrick JEFFREY - Florida State (Terry Horner – 3rd 1-meter); Julian KRUG – Pittsburgh (Alex Volovetski – 8th 1-meter); Dan LAAK – Georgia (Chris Colwill - 1st 1-meter, 2nd 3-meter, 2nd Platform); Mike LYDEN – Kentucky (Stephen Andrews – 5th 1-meter); Vince PANZANO - Ohio State (Sean Moore - 1st Platform, Weston Wieser - 7th Platform); Matt SCOGGIN - Texas (Jonathan Wilcox - 7th 3-meter, Matthew Cooper - 6th Platform); Jeff SHAFFER - Auburn (Kelly Marx -5th 3-meter, Daniel Mazzafero - 8th 3-meter, 5th Platform); Adam SOLDATI - Purdue (David Colturi - 3rd Platform). The top eight finishers at the NCAA Championships earn All-American honors.

Dan LAAK of Georgia was named the 2008 NCAA Men's Diving Coach of the Year, and his diver Chris Colwill was named 2008 NCAA Men's Diver of the Year.

Springboards and More congratulates the DIVING COACHES for all their hard work, dedication and long hours at the pool that went into these performances.

Ross Wins Three-meter, Colwill Second

Reuben Ross of Miami upset Chris Colwill of Georgia to win the NCAA Men's Three-meter Diving Title. Ross held a slight lead after the fourth dive and then put the pressure on Colwill with an inward 3 1/2 that received five 9's. Colwill responded, but fell short on his final dive by six points. It was the first NCAA title for Ross who is a sophomore from Saskatchewan, Canada.

• Full Results

Colwill Wins One-meter!

Congratulations to Chris Colwill of Georgia and coach Dan Laak for his victory on one-meter at the NCAA championships in Seattle. Colwill needed a strong final dive to hold off Magnus Frick of Hawaii. He received 8's on a reverse 2 1/2 pike (that's right, a 305b on one-meter), scored 76.80 points and won the contest by 7.55 points. Three-meter prelims begin today at 2:00 p.m. PST. You can watch the contest via the internet at NCAA.com.

• Full Results
• Watch the Action Live!

Top NCAA Diving Coaches

Congratulations to the following COACHES for the performance of their diver(s) in the Finals at the Women's NCAA Division I Diving Championships taking place at The Ohio State University:

Women's Platform Diving -- Saturday March 22, 2008

1. RANDY ABLEMAN (University of Miami, FL) -- Coach of the Winner Brittany Viola
2. RICK SCHAVONE (Stanford University) -- Coach of 2nd place finisher Margaret Hostage
3. ADAM SOLDATI (Purdue University) -- Coach of 3rd place finisher Kara Cook
4. VINCE PANZANO (Ohio State University) -- Coach of 4th place finisher Kristen Asman
5. RICK SCHAVONE (Stanford University) -- Coach of 5th place finisher Shana Karp
6. JANE FIGUREIDO (University of Houston) -- Coach of 6th place finisher Lacey Truelove
7. JIM STILLSON (Southern Methodist University -- Coach of 7th place finisher Audra Egenolf
8. DONNIE CRAINE (University of Florida) -- Coach of 8th place finisher Monica Dodson

Women's 3-Meter Diving -- Friday March 21, 2008

1. VINCE PANZANO (Ohio State University) -- Coach of the Winner Chelsea Davis
2. VINCE PANZANO (Ohio State University) -- Coach of 2nd place finisher Bianca Alvarez
3. MATT SCOGGIN (University of Texas) -- Coach of 3rd place finisher Kathryn Kelly
4. DAN LAAK (University of Georgia) -- Coach of 4th place finisher Hannah Moore
5. JEFF HUBER (Indiana University) -- Coach of 5th place finisher Brittany Feldman
6. MIKE BROWN (University of Hawaii) -- Coach of 6th place finisher Emma Friesen
7. JOHN AMES (Georgia Tech) -- Coach of 7th place finisher Hannah Krimm
8. TODD SHERRITT (University of South Carolina) -- Coach of 8th place finisher Taryn Zack

Women's 1-Meter Diving--Thursday March 20, 2008

1. MIKE BROWN (University of Hawaii) -- Coach of the Winner Emma Friesen
2. MATT SCOGGIN (University of Texas) -- Coach of 2nd place finisher Mary Yarrison
3. JEFF HUBER (Indiana University) -- Coach of 3rd place finisher Brittany Feldman
4. MATT SCOGGIN (University of Texas) -- Coach of 4th place finisher Kathryn Kelly
5. VINCE PANZANO (Ohio State University) -- Coach of 5th place finisher Bianca Alverez
6. MIKE LYDEN (University of Kentucky) -- Coach of 6th place finisher Kari Retrum
7. RANDY ABLEMAN (Miami University) -- Coach of 7th place finisher Brittany Viola
8. VINCE PANZANO (Ohio State University) -- Coach of 8th place finisher Chelsea Davis

The Top EIGHT finishers at the NCAA Championships earn First Team All-American Honors.

Springboards and More congratulates the DIVING COACHES for all their hard work, dedication and long hours at the pool that went into these performances.