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Team History |
The Woodlands Diving Team began in the 70’s with coach Dick Smith. Several international Olympians trained at the Woodlands Athletic Center under Coach Smith including top USA diver Keith Russell. After over 10 years with Dick Smith as head coach, in 1985? coach Terry Faulkenberry took over the team and built a very strong US Junior National Championship team. Several US Junior Champions came from the Woodlands under Faulkenberry’s coaching: Kelly Jenkins, Terri Seipel, and Scott Donie In 1986, coach Ann Farger from New Zealand took over the reigns and continued leading the team with a strong Junior National presence. In 1987, coach Milton Braga from Brazil, once an Olympic diver training at The Woodlands under Dick Smith, took over for 2 years. Current Coach Ken Armstrong moved from his coaching position under US Olympic Coach Ron O’brien at Mission Bay in Florida to accept the head coaching position in 1989. Under Armstrong’s tutelage over the past decade, the Junior and Senior teams have grown substantially and produced numerous Age Group and Senior National and International Champions. Armstrong has maintained the legacy of 100% of graduating High School Seniors from the team having received diving college scholarship opportunities for NCAA Division I schools. A high point for the team came in 2000 when The Woodlands Diver Laura Wilkinson, together with Coach Armstrong, qualified to represent the USA in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and won the Olympic Gold Medal in the women’s 10m Platform event. This was the first Olympic Diving Gold Medal for a US women in that event since 1964 when US diver Leslie Bush won and a first ever Olympic Gold medal for a Woodlands Diver. On December 31st, 2008, the Woodlands Athletic Club (facilities where the team had been practicing for years) closed its doors forever and the team is now practicing at the CISD Natatorium about 2 miles from the previous location. The Woodlands Diving program lives on with it’s rich history of Diving past and aggressive pursuit of diving success into the future. Check-out the Team's Diving Hall of Fame, with diving records throughout the years.
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